Re-Grading Biggest Trades, Free-Agent Signings of 2023 NFL Offseason
A lot has happened since the 2023 NFL offseason officially got underway back on March 15. We've had four months of free-agent and trade activity, the 2023 NFL draft, minicamps and organized team activities.
The NFL landscape has changed dramatically, and several of the offseason's big early moves must now be viewed in a different light, which is why it's difficult to immediately judge a trade or signing.Subsequent moves, player health, offseason performance and ongoing roster development can easily make a blockbuster deal look better or worse in retrospect.
For example, Seattle Seahawks fans will never forget when the team signed quarterback Matt Flynn in 2012. He was surpassed in the offseason by then-rookie Russell Wilson and never started a game for Seattle. Las Vegas Raiders fans likely remember the 2019 trade for wideout Antonio Brown, who had an unproductive offseason and eventually got released ahead of the regular season.
While we haven't seen recent situations quite this extreme yet, it's worth reevaluating some of the biggest moves of the 2023 NFL offseason.
Panthers Trade Up for the No. 1 Pick in the Draft
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The offseason started with a bang, as the Carolina Panthers acquired the No. 1 pick in the draft from the Chicago Bears before the start of free agency.
While handing out predraft offseason grades, I gave the Panthers an A- and the Bears an A+ in large part because of this trade. It was a win-win for both sides at the time, and the same holds true a few months later.
Carolina went up and got its guy in Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. The early offseason buzz seems to indicate that Young is exactly what Carolina needed to reinvigorate its franchise.
"You look at when Cam [Newton] came into Carolina and the environment that was surrounded around Cam and how the atmosphere was so electric—I feel that same kind of electricity with Bryce Young right now," former Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis said on NFL Network's Good Morning Football (h/t Anthony Rizzuti of Panthers Wire).
With Justin Fields in the fold, the Bears didn't need a quarterback. Instead, they got a massive return for the top pick: the Nos. 9 and 61 picks this year, a 2024 first-rounder, a 2025 second-rounder and star receiver D.J. Moore.
Chicago traded down from No. 9 before taking offensive tackle Darnell Wright, getting a 2024 fourth-round pick in the process. It used the 61st pick to move up for cornerback Tyrique Stevenson in Round 2. Along with Moore, the Bears have already added three potential difference-makers.
With Young doing nothing to disappoint thus far, this is still looking like the biggest win-win trade of the offseason.
Bears: A+
Panthers: A
Rams Trade CB Jalen Ramsey to Miami
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Before the unofficial opening day of free agency, the Miami Dolphins acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey from the Los Angeles Rams in what appeared to be a lopsided deal. Miami got the six-time Pro Bowler, while L.A. netted a 2023 third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long.
Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport gave the Dolphins an A for the deal while handing the Rams a D.
For Miami, this still feels like a home run. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler recently polled league executives, coaches, scouts and players to rank the league's top cornerbacks, and Ramsey came in at No. 3, with at least one scout believing he will shine in Vic Fangio's defense.
"[Fangio] has made corners who can't play have good seasons, so imagine what he can do with a star player like Jalen?" the scout said, per Fowler.
A third-round pick isn't nothing, but Miami still managed to draft two potential impact players in second-round cornerback Cam Smith and third-round running back Devon Achane. (The NFL took away its first-round pick because of the Tom Brady tampering case.)
While the Rams didn't get great value for Ramsey, the rest of the offseason has made it clear that they were interested in purging aging players and salary. L.A. used the third-round pick from Miami on pass-rusher Byron Young, whom they'll hope to develop quickly after releasing pass-rusher Leonard Floyd.
Long may play a noteworthy role in a Rams offense that lacked reliable targets behind Cooper Kupp last season. However, putting a positive spin on it doesn't make this a good deal for L.A.
Dolphins: A
Rams: D+
Cowboys Trade for S Brandin Cooks, CB Stephon Gilmore
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The Dallas Cowboys weren't particularly active in free agency, but they did address two needs via trades.
Dallas acquired wideout Brandin Cooks from the Houston Texans for a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-rounder. The Cowboys also convinced the Houston Texans to take on $6 million of his 2023 salary. Meanwhile, they acquired cornerback Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts for a 2023 fifth-round pick.
Before the draft, I gave the Cowboys an offseason grade of B-, with the Cooks and Gilmore trades as two of the biggest positives. After the draft, the two deals still look like big wins for the Cowboys.
Both appear to be in line for starting jobs, and Cooks' presence has had a positive impact on second-year receiver Jalen Tolbert.
"Tolbert's had an incredible camp," offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer told reporters (h/t Todd Brock of Cowboys Wire). "And if you talk to Jalen, what Jalen's going to tell you is he's spent a ton of time with Brandin."
The veteran leadership the Cowboys have added could pay off in a big way this season, which ups the grade for these two value-oriented deals.
The Texans used Dallas' fifth-round pick to move up for wideout Tank Dell in Round 3, while the Colts used their pick on running back Evan Hull. Both teams receive a middling grade for adding some value while offloading veterans as part of their rebuilding process.
Texans: C
Colts: C
Cowboys: B+
Packers Trade QB Aaron Rodgers to the Jets
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The Green Bay Packers dealt star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets just before the draft. The parameters of the trade played heavily into both the Packers' (C) and Jets' (B) offseason trade and free agency grades.
The Packers traded Rodgers and a 2023 fifth-round pick to move up two spots in the first round and get a 2023 second-round pick, a 2023 sixth-round pick and a conditional 2024 second-round pick that will become a first-rounder if Rodgers plays at least 65 percent of the offensive snaps in 2023.
It was a strong return for a player whom the Packers were clearly interested in moving to make room for Jordan Love. Green Bay took pass-rusher Lukas Van Ness in the first round, grabbed tight end Luke Musgrave with the Jets' second-round pick and used the sixth-round pick on kicker Anders Carlson.
By acquiring the extra second-rounder, Green Bay was able to add Musgrave, wideout Jayden Reed and tight end Tucker Kraft on Day 2. All three players should help Love tremendously.
Meanwhile, the Jets flipped their extra fifth-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for sixth- and seventh-round selections.
The deal still looks pretty good for the Packers, given their need to evaluate Love.
At the time, I viewed this as a risky trade for the Jets since the 39-year-old Rodgers wasn't guaranteed to play beyond the 2023 season. However, all signs since then have pointed to a longer commitment.
"I think they went out there for the initial meetings and told him, 'This is how we have to do things,' and I think he understood that," former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason said on WFAN's Boomer and Gio. "I think he gave them a three-year commitment.
The Jets have also made moves to support Rodgers, including signing former teammates Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Billy Turner.
Rodgers' age and mediocre 2022 play still make him a risk, but this is looking like a strong gamble by the Jets.
Packers: C+
Jets: B
49ers Sign DT Javon Hargrave
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Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave was the second-ranked player on Bleacher Report's final free-agency big board. Although he turned 30 in February, he remains a big-time impact player.
Two years ago, Hargrave recorded 7.5 sacks and 63 tackles while earning a Pro Bowl nod. This past season, he logged 60 tackles, a career-high 11 sacks and 18 quarterback pressures.
Hargrave was one of the centerpieces of the Philadelphia Eagles' second-ranked defense last season. During their loss to Philly in the NFC Championship Game, the San Francisco 49ers got a firsthand look at the havoc that Hargrave can wreak.
At the onset of the legal tampering period, the 49ers agreed with Hargrave on a four-year, $84 million deal. Davenport gave San Francisco a C+ for the move, citing Hargrave's age and price point as negatives while lauding his potential next to Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa.
With Hargrave regularly disrupting the interior, opposing offenses will find it difficult to focus solely on slowing Bosa.
Hargrave ranked fifth in Fowler's poll on the NFL's top defensive tackles. Following a draft that didn't see San Francisco address the defensive line until Round 5 (Robert Beal Jr.), Hargrave is shaping up to be the impact addition of the 49ers' offseason.
"He's exactly what San Francisco needs up front," an NFL talent evaluator said of Hargrave, per Fowler.
Did the 49ers overpay for an aging player? Perhaps. But Hargrave can make a pass rush that generated 44 sacks in 2022 even better.
Grade: B-
Bengals Sign OT Orlando Brown Jr.
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Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. was the top-ranked player on our free-agent big board due to his Pro Bowl status, positional versatility and his positional value. He has made the Pro Bowl at both right and left tackle.
The Cincinnati Bengals signed Brown to a four-year, $64.1 million deal on the first official day of free agency, making him their new left tackle. This was an A+ signing for a few reasons.
For one, $16 million annually isn't outlandish for a quality starting left tackle. Brown should be a major upgrade over former left tackle Jonah Williams, who was responsible for four penalties and 12 sacks allowed this past season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Cincinnati needed that upgrade after watching Joe Burrow get sacked 153 times in his first three seasons (including the playoffs).
The move initially raised some uncertainty about Williams' future, but he now sounds eager to compete at right tackle.
"There's a lot of technique to kind of unlearn and switch to the other side. It's my job. I love it," Williams said, per Geoff Hobson of the team's official website. "... I'm going to crush it."
Having Williams at right tackle could be huge, as 2022 starter La'el Collins is still recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. Nothing to date has suggested that this wasn't one of the smartest free-agent signings of the offseason.
Grade: A+
Falcons Sign S Jessie Bates III
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The Atlanta Falcons got in on the early free-agency action, inking former Bengals safety Jessie Bates III to a four-year, $64 million deal.
There's a lot to like about the addition, specifically Bates' potential upside in the system of new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Bates had four interceptions last season to go with eight passes defended and an opposing passer rating of only 76.1 in coverage.
Nielsen comes over from the New Orleans Saints, where deep safeties like Marcus Williams and Marcus Maye played a featured role. Bates can do the same for Atlanta, though as Davenport noted, he doesn't play what is considered a premium position.
"Time and again we have seen bad teams go wild spending money in free agency in an effort to reverse their fortunes," Davenport wrote at the time of the signing. "More often than not, it just doesn't work. Especially when huge money is spent at non-premium positions."
Davenport gave the signing a C+ because of the financial value of the deal. On the field and in meeting rooms, though, Bates' experience and leadership will benefit Atlanta's secondary.
"He's always talking about game-planning, doing this, getting guys together, being together. That's critical when you're in the NFL," Falcons assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray said of Bates during OTAs, per Scott Bair of the team's official website.
Sometimes, rebuilding teams have to overpay to improve their rosters. That's what the Falcons did with Bates.
Grade: C+
Raiders Sign QB Jimmy Garoppolo
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Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo came in at No. 23 on our free-agent board, but it's hard not to consider his signing as one of the biggest of the offseason. The Las Vegas Raiders inked Garoppolo to replace former starter Derek Carr and took the top free-agent quarterback off the market in doing so.
Davenport was high on the signing, giving Las Vegas an A for the value of the three-year, $72.8 million deal and for the role Garoppolo can play for the rebuilding Raiders.
"Garoppolo also isn't a transcendent talent," Davenport wrote. "But he is a solid veteran quarterback and a proven winner. He's gone 40-17 as a starter for the 49ers and the New England Patriots."
However, some new information makes this look less like a bargain for Las Vegas. For one, Garoppolo's contract is worth more than was initially reported ($67.5 million). We also now know that he wasn't healthy when he signed with the Raiders.
According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, the foot injury Garoppolo suffered last season required a waiver because he would not have passed a physical. It remains unknown if he'll be healthy enough to participate in the start of training camp.
We're not going to downgrade this move too heavily, though. As Florio noted, the Raiders can void the contract until/unless Garoppolo passes a physical and owe him nothing. That means either Garoppolo will start on a reasonable $23.8 million salary and give the Raiders a chance to evaluate their younger players, or they will have a believable excuse for tanking for one of the top 2024 quarterback prospects.
It's a low-risk move for a Raiders team that is clearly focused on the future.
Grade: B
Eagles Re-Sign CB James Bradberry
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Cornerback James Bradberry was the fourth-ranked free agent on the B/R big board for one notable reason: High-end cornerbacks are rarely available on the open market.
That's precisely what Bradberry was in 2022. He proved to be an ideal fit for Jonathan Gannon's zone-based defense, which new defensive coordinator Sean Desai, a protege of Vic Fangio, will likely emulate.
Last season, Bradberry played 98 percent of the defensive snaps in Philly, finishing with 44 tackles, 17 passes defended, three interceptions and an opposing passer rating of only 51.6 in coverage.
The Eagles re-signed him on a three-year, $38 million deal that includes a 2023 cap hit of only $3.1 million. The construction of the deal gave Philly enough financial flexibility to restructure Darius Slay's contract and bring back the likes of veteran defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and center Jason Kelce.
The move earned an A from B/R's Brent Sobleski at the time.
With several key pieces returning, the Eagles had flexibility at the top of the draft. They ended up selecting several players with the potential to become long-term building blocks, including defensive tackle Jalen Carter, pass-rusher Nolan Smith, offensive lineman Tyler Steen and safety Sydney Brown.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has successfully reloaded the roster for another Super Bowl run in 2023 without sacrificing the franchise's long-term outlook. Re-signing Bradberry at a fair-market price was a big part of that, making this already great deal look even better in retrospect.
Grade: A+
Lions Sign DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson
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Versatile defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the third-ranked player on the B/R free-agency big board, waited until March 20 to sign with the Detroit Lions. It was a strong signing for a Detroit team that ranked 30th in pass defense last season, and a big reason why they landed a B+ for their offseason moves leading up to the draft.
Gardner-Johnson proved to be a valuable chess piece both with the New Orleans Saints and Philadelphia Eagles. Capable of playing safety or in the slot, he was productive in both roles.
Gardner-Johnson allowed an opposing passer rating of 67.7 in 2021 and 78.4 this past season. He registered three interceptions with the Saints two years ago and tied for the league lead with six last season.
The 25-year-old is already proving to be valuable with the Lions and brought a welcome energy to OTAs and minicamp.
"He's got a contagious energy," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said, per ESPN's Eric Woodyard. "... In turn, that just spills out into the offense, or your teammates, and you can't help the level of intensity, just, it raises."
Addressing the secondary by signing Gardner-Johnson and cornerback Cameron Sutton also allowed the Lions to take more of a best-player-available approach during the draft instead of reaching on defensive backs with their two first-round picks.
One can question the value of drafting a running back and an off-ball linebacker on opening night, but Jahmyr Gibbs and Jack Campbell should help the Lions push for the postseason right away.
The only real negative here is that Gardner-Johnson's one-year, $6.5 million deal could send him back to the open market in 2024.
Grade: A-
*Contract information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.
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