10 Most Surprising Developments of 2015 NFL Free Agency

Have you breathed, yet?

The first 24 to 48 hours of NFL free agency were about as wild as any time in recent NFL history. Heck, the 15 minutes before and after the start of the league year contained about as much big-named news as fans and the media usually expect in entire months. 

Bottom line: If you had any semblance of what the NFL landscape looked like before Tuesday, you don't now.

It's been a surprising shotgun start to the offseason, and most of us eat, drink, sleep and breathe the NFL enough that we've all mainlined Adam Schefter's Twitter feed directly into our brains by now. That said, knowing the news at breakneck speed has only increased the "wow factor" of some of the more quixotic moves over the past few days. 

Note that not all of these surprises are strict free-agency signings but rather things that have all happened within the "legal tampering period" leading up to the start of the league year and the frenzy that happened thereafter. 

The developments were picked not just on the basis of being head-scratchers, but also by flying in the face of both conventional wisdom and (at times) all semblance of logical thought. 

The Frank Gore Flip-Flop

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

He was headed to Philadelphia. 

On March 8, ESPN's Adam Schefter not only connected running back Frank Gore to the Eagles, but had his contract information. The move made sense, as the Eagles had recently opened up their running back position for some competition (more on that later), and Gore's north-south rushing style seemed perfect to complement Darren Sproles in the Eagles offense.

It was considered a done deal. 

Then, just over 24 hours after Schefter's report, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport broke the media silence around Gore's Philadelphia signing and let it be known that he was having cold feet about the signing. Whispers and rumors started immediately connecting him to the Indianapolis Colts, whom he had been considering before settling originally on the Eagles. 

Gore signed with the Colts on Tuesday in a move first reported by Schefter. 

He reunites with Colts offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and with former Miami teammate Andre Johnson. He also gets to share an offensive backfield with quarterback Andrew Luck, and that certainly factored into his indecision and then ultimately his final answer. 

Swings and Misses by the Oakland Raiders

Ben Margot/Associated Press/Associated Press

Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie and head coach Jack Del Rio

Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh...

Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton...

Defensive end Jared Odrick...

Wide receiver Randall Cobb...

Cornerback Darrelle Revis...

These are all big-name players the Oakland Raiders have missed out on in free agency. Some have already signed elsewhere; others have eliminated the Raiders from contention, as reported ESPN's Josina Anderson. This in an offseason where the Raiders have to spend money just to reach the salary floor. 

They somehow can't do it. 

With a new coach and a potential move on the horizon, the Raiders had every reason to be a little bold in free agency, and they couldn't convince any game-changing studs to even give them a second look. 

They're going to sign some free agents. They have to! They're just not going to get anyone who was their first (or maybe even second) choice. 

Lions Lose Both Suh and Fairley

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

The Detroit Lions were unlikely to keep both.

Now, they won't even have one. 

This was their own doing. 

Years ago, the Lions chose this path by kicking the proverbial cans down the road of big contracts given out to not only defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, but also wide receiver Calvin Johnson and quarterback Matthew Stafford. This was getting talented players with high draft picks at the worst time—right before the league instituted the rookie salary cap—but a problem exacerbated by the Lions' further choices.

Because of that, the Lions had to pay the piper this year and hope they could re-sign Suh once he hit the free market. 

He just signed a massive contract with Miami Dolphins, per the team's Twitter account. 

Knowing this full well, the Lions chose not to pick up an option on Nick Fairley's rookie deal, and he intends to play elsewhere in 2015, per the Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett. 

The Lions had to scramble at that point, picking up Baltimore Ravens tackle Haloti Ngata via trade—a move I broke down here and which cost them not only multiple draft picks, but a hefty chunk of cap space for an aging veteran as well. 

Trade-a-Palooza!

Bill Haber/Associated Press

The NFL's new "legal tampering period" allows teams to casually discuss numbers (not offers, though...come on) the weekend before the league year starts. This means the official start of the NFL offseason is going to come not like the thief in the night of yesteryear, but triumphantly right in the heart of the news cycle, with plenty of backloaded news to intrigue the masses in rapid-fire succession. 

It is in that powder keg that the craziest 15 minutes of recent NFL history happened. 

First tight end Jimmy Graham was shipped to the Seattle Seahawks for center Max Unger and a draft pick. Then, Baltimore Ravens tackle Haloti Ngata was sent to the Detroit Lions for multiple draft picks. Finally, in a move that made everyone double (or spit) take, the Philadelphia Eagles and St. Louis Rams swapped quarterbacks Nick Foles and Sam Bradford. 

It was so crazy that ESPN's Adam Schefter was on live TV on his phone, trying to figure out details of one trade as his colleague Chris Mortensen was dissecting the previous trade having just found out about it. 

It was surreal, amazing television. 

Trades like this are rare in the NFL—especially player-for-player trades of somewhat household names or starters. Instead of rare, we got three in rapid succession as a fantastic precursor to what was already sure to be a crazy start to free agency. 

Jets Loading Up the Defensive Backfield

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

Rex Ryan's probably over in Buffalo wondering where the heck these moves were when he was around! 

The Jets tried and failed to bring in top-notch cornerback talent during Ryan's tenure to make up for the losses of Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie in years past. Draft picks were used and free-agent pitches were made...all for naught. 

New general manager Mike Maccagnan appears to be making up for lost time. 

The Jets were able to re-sign Revis after the New England Patriots let him hit the open market (his contract basically ensured that would happen), and they also landed Buster Skrine. Now, according to a report by NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, they're in line to bring back Cromartie as well. 

It's not overkill because all the players will have a role, but it might be twisting the knife into Ryan just a little, as the GM has given new head coach Todd Bowles a bevy of great players he needs for his system. 

The 49ers' Nightmare

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

"Winning with class is what matters."

That's the quote from San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York in an interview done with Brian Murphy of KNBR in San Francisco (h/t SFGate.com's Eric Branch). Though the young owner danced around what exactly that means a number of times (with Murphy and elsewhere), the natural insinuation is that this would be a classier organization moving forward than it was with former head coach Jim Harbaugh at the helm. 

They're not winning anything this offseason. 

They don't look as if they'll be winning much of anything once the season starts. 

Things aren't exactly so classy. 

Bleacher Report's Peter Panacy asked if the 49ers were "on the verge of implosion," pointing out the max exodus of players like running back Frank Gore, linebacker Patrick Willis, defensive end Justin Smith and offensive guard Mike Iupati while also addressing the spousal battery charge against fullback Bruce Miller.

Things are not exactly going the way York had hoped they would be going.  

Buccaneers Cut Loose Michael Johnson

Cliff McBride/Getty Images

Last season, defensive end Michael Johnson was the belle of the ball. 

This year, in a move first reported by Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times, the Buccaneers not only cut Michael Johnson, but they ate $7 million of his salary in order to do so. Yes, just one year after making him the cream of their free-agency crop, they're literally paying to get rid of him. 

The times, how they have changed...

Johnson joins quarterback Josh McCown and offensive tackle Anthony Collins—released Wednesday, per NFL.com's Chris Wesseling—as prized 2014 free agents whom the Buccaneers have already cut bait on. 

Here's looking to a better 2015!

Surprise Early Retirements

James Kenney/Associated Press

I've always said that when an NFL player has made his money and doesn't love the game anymore or if the game needs him more than he needs the game, it's time to hang it up no matter what the age is. 

This is a little ridiculous, especially in rapid succession. 

• San Francisco 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis is becoming the first player since Cleveland Browns running back great Jim Brown to make seven Pro Bowls and retire before he is 30. He'll be working with youth and with the church in his native Tennessee.  
• Tennessee Titans quarterback Jake Locker has dealt with plenty of injuries and lost his starting job to Zach Mettenberger. He's now retiring at the age of 26. 
• Only a year older at 27, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds is retiring to work with the Jehovah's Witnesses, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Ed Bouchette. He had been a dark-horse franchise-tag candidate earlier this year and would've been one of the more sought-after pass-rushers on the market. 

The Sudden Importance of Running Backs Once Again

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

I've long contended that NFL trends are less about evolution and more about revolution—that is, that trends in the NFL aren't marching toward some ideal but rather rehashing concepts and trends that were already en vogue while some of the current players were in diapers. 

So, while many assumed the running back position was dead and gone forever, I waited and figured that the NFL would punch itself out with spread attacks and pass-heavy schemes just like it did back when the Air Coryell, Run-and-Shoot or K-Gun offenses were all rage at different points in the NFL's history. 

Rinse, lather, repeat. 

I just didn't think it would happen this fast!

Perhaps teams were emboldened by the Seattle Seahawks' reliance on running back Marshawn Lynch and the subsequent payday he received or the New England Patriots' run-heavy scheme (note: for those keeping score at home, those were the Super Bowl teams and last two champions).

Or, maybe it's just time to re-energize some rushing attacks to exploit matchups as teams have been eschewing traditional in-the-box linebackers and overdrafting pass-rushers and nickel/dime cornerbacks for a while now. 

Whatever it is, the running back market for guys like DeMarco Murray, Frank Gore, Ryan Mathews, Shane Vereen and Roy Helu is a little surprising, and this in a year when the running back draft class is as good as it's been in awhile. 

Oh, and Adrian Peterson is still potentially out there for grabs. 

Everything Chip Kelly

Mark Tenally/Associated Press

This is more than just marching to the beat of his own drummer. 

Chip Kelly is doing things his way, and it is freaking out just about everyone who covers or watches the NFL. 

From shipping out running back LeSean McCoy to the collection of Oregon Ducks he's amassing on the roster, this isn't how things are supposed to go. To turn around and then spend that money on injury-prone players like cornerbacks Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond, running back Ryan Mathews and trade-acquired Sam Bradford. 

That isn't smart, is it?

What about grabbing yet another quarterback in Bradford who doesn't run the ball like so many analysts think Kelly should be more interested in even though he's been fine using Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez while drafting Matt Barkley?

Then...there was this press conference. 

What's maddening about this situation is that so many people probably shouldn't be surprised by how Kelly is operating. While so many were focused on things like tempo and flashy jersey choices when he came from Oregon, this sort of orthodoxy about his scheme was always apparent. He's always put the "role" ahead of the player who fit that role—no matter how talented that player was. 

Still, with so many big moves in rapid succession and a possible DeMarco Murray signing on the horizon, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, it's clear to see that Kelly doesn't really care what the rest of us think. 

Michael Schottey is an award-winning NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report and a writer for Football Insiders. Follow him on Twitter.