5 NFL Teams That Improved the Most in Free Agency

When the NFL's free-agent period opened March 10, there were teams determined to make a splash and improve their rosters heading into the 2015 season. Five clubs accomplished that goal better than the rest.

We'll cycle through the five franchises that received a proverbial shot in the arm via free-agent imports. Whether it was signing one superstar, bringing in a cavalcade of solid players or returning a star to where he began his career, each one of these teams is a considerably better outfit now than it was two weeks ago.

Here are the five NFL teams that improved the most in free agency.

Miami Dolphins

Associated Press

Ndamukong Suh

Really, it would be impossible to not include the Miami Dolphins on this list. After all, they netted one of the best free agents in the history of the National Football League, and that alone merited a spot.

The Dolphins made a major splash on the first day of free agency with the signing of star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to a six-year, $114 million deal with a staggering $60 million guaranteed.

While it was an extreme financial price to pay, Suh joined Reggie White (1993) and Peyton Manning (2012) as one of the three finest free agents ever, so this was a no-brainer for new Dolphins Executive Vice President of Football Operations Mike Tannenbaum.

Suh has 36 career sacks and finished 2015 ranked as Pro Football Focus' third-best defensive tackle. He instantly adds gravitas to an already stacked defensive line, and his presence in South Beach will aid to sleepless nights for opposing quarterbacks in the AFC East.

Tannenbaum also dealt underachieving and overpaid receiver Mike Wallace to the Minnesota Vikings. Miami included a seventh-round selection in the trade to net a fifth-round pick this year. Further, the Dolphins traded for Saints receiver Kenny Stills, giving up linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and a third-round pick.

The transactions were a masterclass, as Stills is younger (22 compared to 28), cheaper and comes without Wallace's baggage.

While the Dolphins lost tight end Charles Clay on a ludicrous offer sheet to Buffalo (five years, $38 million), they brought in Jordan Cameron (two years, $15 million) from Cleveland to fill that void. Cameron has suffered three concussions in the last two years, and he was limited to 10 games last season because of it.

Still, he's been a fabulous weapon when healthy.

New York Jets

Nick Laham/Getty Images

Darrelle Revis

Last offseason, now-deposed New York Jets general manager John Idzik seemingly sat on a pile of money, refusing to spend any of it for some unknown reason.

New Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan doesn't have that problem, as his directive from owner Woody Johnson was clear: After the public relations debacle that was Idzik's tenure, go out and spend, spend and spend some more in an effort to return the Jets to the playoff picture—and the back pages of the New York newspapers.

Maccagnan didn't take long to strike, as he brought star cornerback Darrelle Revis back to the Green and White with a five-year, $70 million contract with $39 million guaranteed. Revis, who spent 2013 in Tampa Bay and 2014 helping New England win a Super Bowl, brings his talents back to Broadway. At age 29, he remains one of the finest players in the league, regardless of position.

Maccagnan continued to turn a position of weakness—cornerback—into a strength with the signings of free agents Antonio Cromartie (four years, $32 million) and Buster Skrine (four years, $25 million). Cromartie will be reunited with Revis, as the two spent 2010-2012 together for Gang Green. And while Cromartie was the more ballyhooed of the signings, Skrine is a quality slot cornerback who should give new coach Todd Bowles a valuable weapon on defense.

The Jets also added a starting-caliber safety in San Diego's Marcus Gilchrist (four years, $22 million) and help on the interior of the offensive line with Seattle's James Carpenter (four years, $19 million). And while he wasn't a free-agent acquisition, the trade for Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall for a fifth-round pick is noteworthy, as it gives the team another legitimate pass-catcher.

Finally, bringing in Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick via trade (late-round conditional draft pick) was another wise move.

Tennessee Titans

Associated Press

Ken Whisenhunt

For the past few seasons, the Tennessee Titans have held the rather unfortunate moniker of most nondescript team in the NFL. While they haven't yet shaken that stigma, they've taken steps in free agency to forge a new identity and get back to the franchise's winning ways.

The team's pass rush wasn't awful last season—39 sacks; middle of the pack—but there's no question pass-rushers needed to be added to coordinator Ray Horton's 3-4 scheme. In that vein, signing Brian Orakpo (four years, $32 million) and re-signing Derrick Morgan (four years, $27 million) made a ton of sense.

Orakpo might have struggled through an injury-riddled 2014 (0.5 sacks in only seven games played), but he still has phenomenal physical skills and could easily author a successful season in 2015. As for Morgan, he led the club with 6.5 sacks and needed to be brought back.

Tennessee's roster was substandard in 2014, so pieces needed to be added throughout to improve the quality of the 53-man unit. The signings of cornerback Perrish Cox (three years, $15 million), receiver Harry Douglas (three-year deal), tight end Anthony Fasano (four years, $16 million) and safety Da'Norris Searcy (four years, $24 million) did just that. We're especially bullish on the 26-year-old Searcy, who flashed in Buffalo over the past few years.

Shortly after signing in the Music City, Searcy told Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean: "I play with a lot of emotion and a lot of passion. I love the game of football. I've been playing since I was four years old, so I've been doing it all my life. Anytime I can walk out on that field in a uniform and smell that fresh-cut grass, I am like a kid in a candy store."

The Titans aren't yet a top team, but coach Ken Whisenhunt's club should be much-improved heading into 2015.

Indianapolis Colts

Associated Press

Andre Johnson

For Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson, there is only one outcome that's considered acceptable after making the playoffs in each of the last three seasons: winning a Super Bowl. There's no doubt that Grigson moved the Colts closer to raising a Lombardi Trophy with the moves made in free agency.

Needing to add oomph to the club's middling pass rush, Grigson was able to sign Trent Cole, who tallied 6.5 sacks last year and has accumulated 85.5 over the course of his career, to a two-year, $16 million contract.

In a move to add a physical presence to the club's backfield, Grigson was able to convince running back Frank Gore to spurn the Eagles and instead sign with the Colts on a three-year, $12 million deal. Gore will give star quarterback Andrew Luck his best rusher since he joined the league in 2012, and that's a problem for the rest of the AFC.

Needing to add another receiver to Luck's weaponry in the passing attack, Grigson signed Andre Johnson (three years, $21 million) from division-rival Houston. Johnson should make an immediate impact in the club's passing game.

Other notable additions include guard Todd Herremans (one year, $2.25 million), linebacker Nate Irving (three years, $9.25 million) and defensive end Kendall Langford (four years, $17.2 million).

Speaking of the roster-building process, Grigson recently said this to Michael Silver of NFL.com:

"

The directive I get from my owner (Jim Irsay) -- and all of the motivation driving my decisions -- is to win it all. He wants to win the Super Bowl, and that is my mission. That's why I'll keep searching for players, whether it's a big-name free agent or a guy from the CFL or some small college. I'll be looking under every rock, and trying to find a way to make us better.

"

The Colts are definitely closer to a Super Bowl title now than they were at the start of the free-agent period.

Jacksonville Jaguars

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Gus Bradley

The Jacksonville Jaguars have gone seven consecutive seasons without either a winning record or a playoff appearance. With coach Gus Bradley and general manager David Caldwell entering year three of their regime—with only seven overall wins to show for it—it's time to put up or shut up, and the entire league knows it.

So give Caldwell and Bradley credit for taking the steps to improve the overall quality of the roster in what's looming as a very important season in Duval County, Florida.

The biggest splash the team made was signing tight end Julius Thomas to a five-year, $46 million contract with $24 million guaranteed. Thomas caught 24 touchdown passes over the last two seasons, and it stands to reason he'll provide quarterback Blake Bortles with an imposing red-zone target.

The club also brought in defensive tackle Jared Odrick on a five-year deal worth $42.5 million. He's a former first-round pick who can get after the opposing quarterback (16.5 career sacks).

Linebacker Dan Skuta (five years, $20.5 million), cornerback Davon House (four years, $24.75 million), safety Sergio Brown (three years, $9 million) and right tackle Jeremy Parnell (five years, $32 million) were also added in free agency.

While much of Jacksonville's hope for success rests on the right arm of Bortles, the team can take solace in knowing the roster around Bortles is the best it's been in quite some time.

Nick Kostos is a featured NFL columnist for Bleacher Report and a host for Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM. Follow Nick on Twitter here and become a fan of his on Facebook here.