Ranking the Most Overlooked Moves of 2015 NFL Free Agency

Think about it.

In this day and age of instant news and analysis, most notably in the world of sports, how on earth could anything an NFL team does be truly overlooked?

It just doesn’t happen anymore. From the re-signing of exclusive-rights free agents to the release of players who get the symbolic cup of coffee, we live for news about our favorite league and our favorite teams.

That made the assignment of trying to rank the most overlooked moves of this free agency the most difficult of this author’s career—or at least this week.

All kidding aside, we have done our best here. We took into account the player and his role, as well as the news surrounding the team. The more moves by a club, the easier that one gets a little buried.

However, the most important thing to keep in mind here is that we think all of these players, ranked No. 10 to No. 1 based on a perceived anonymity as well as the potential for a standout season, are destined to make an impact for their new employer or come up big for the team that opted to re-sign them.

In any case, the topic figures to make for interesting conversation…as usual when it comes to the NFL.

10. New York Giants: Signed WR/KR Dwayne Harris

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

This offseason, the 2014 NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys gave the franchise tag to Pro Bowl wideout Dez Bryant and also inked Cole Beasley to a contract extension.

Unfortunately, Dallas saw wide receiver and kick returner Dwayne Harris, who is not only capable of making the occasional big play on offense but can change field position for a team as a punt and kickoff return artist, join a division rival.

Yes, the New York Giants have some talent at wideout with the likes of 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odell Beckham Jr., as well as former Pro Bowler Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle. But Harris’ arrival aids Tom Coughlin’s special teams not only on returns but coverage as well. And a team that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2011 could use all the help it can get in all facets.

9. Indianapolis Colts: Signed G Todd Herremans

Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

It’s been quite a few months in the land of cheese steaks and the best soft pretzels you can find.

Philadelphia Eagles head honcho Chip Kelly took on an expanded role with the organization this year as he prepares for his third season as head coach.

In 2013, he and the team made headlines by parting ways with former Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson.

This offseason, if you were one of the team’s prominent players…duck.

The Eagles dealt 2013 NFL rushing champion LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills, watched wide receiver Jeremy Maclin sign with the Kansas City Chiefs and released both cornerback Cary Williams and outside linebacker Trent Cole.

They also let versatile offensive lineman Todd Herremans go. As recently as 2013, he was one of the better run-blocking guards in the NFL. And that fact alone is one reason he’s a big pickup for the Indianapolis Colts, who have looked hard to find a running game to complement quarterback Andrew Luck the past three seasons.

Herremans comes off a rough year, and his pass-blocking skills have slipped. But it’s still a nice addition for a team that is looking to mix it up a little better when facing some of the NFL’s heavyweights.

8. Minnesota Vikings: Signed RB DuJuan Harris

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Mark Craig of the Star Tribune reminds us that this could be the day that Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson could finally be reinstated by the NFL following last year’s unfortunate off-the-field saga.

"Could" is the operative word here.

Meanwhile, there are other running backs with the team including free-agent addition DuJuan Harris, a newcomer to the organization but not to the NFC North. Originally a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011, the Troy University product spent the last three years with the Green Bay Packers (missing the 2013 season due to injury).

His career statistics won’t wow you, and he played in only 19 regular-season games with the Pack. What Harris does offer, if healthy, is depth in the backfield as well as a threat when it comes to returning kickoffs. Yes, the Vikings do have Cordarrelle Patterson, but perhaps alleviating his duties on special teams could help him get back on track as a wide receiver.

If Peterson remains in Minnesota, the Vikings backfield would become a little crowded with the superstar, Harris, Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon. But this was a move that may bear watching.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers: Re-Signed OLB Arthur Moats

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

In a six-year span from 2005 to 2010, the Pittsburgh Steelers reached the Super Bowl three times and came away with a pair of Lombardi trophies.

Three of the most significant parts of a steady defensive unit that played a big part over that span were coordinator Dick LeBeau, strong safety Troy Polamalu and cornerback Ike Taylor. All three are no longer with the organization. LeBeau is now with the Tennessee Titans, while Taylor, as reported by Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Tuesday, has joined Polamalu in retirement.

Fortunately for general manager Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin, the team opted to bring back outside linebacker Arthur Moats, who enjoyed a solid debut year in the Steel City after four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. The talented defender totaled 23 tackles, four sacks, one fumble recovery and a pair of forced fumbles for the Steelers in 2014.

The team also re-signed veteran James Harrison, but that was hard not to notice. Meanwhile, Moats provides Tomlin and the team a little security until some of Pittsburgh's younger linebackers emerge.

6. Houston Texans: Signed WR Cecil Shorts

Gary McCullough/Associated Press

Perhaps we should amend our original statement in the opening slide. It may be somewhat easy to be overlooked in the NFL, especially if you have suited up for a team that has scored the fewest points in the league each of the past two seasons.

Such is the case with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who made some strides as a football team in 2014 but still only won three games.

There was a fresh-face movement by the team last offseason as the draft brought quarterback Blake Bortles in the first round and wide receivers Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson in the second. Wideout Allen Hurns joined the club as an unrestricted free agent.

Exit Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville’s best wideout in recent years. After a quiet rookie year in 2010, he’s totaled 174 receptions for 2,313 yards and 11 touchdowns, seven of those scores coming in 2012.

The Texans parted ways with all-time receiving leader Andre Johnson this offseason and also added Nate Washington from the Tennessee Titans. But Shorts’ ability to create large gains out of short throws will make him an unsung underneath target opposite big-play wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

5. Chicago Bears: Signed OLB Sam Acho

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

A lot has been written about the Chicago Bears defense the past two seasons, and none of it has been good.

That’s because this once-proud unit has had its struggles. In their last 32 regular-season games, the Bears have allowed a whopping 28.8 points per contest and a combined 93 offensive touchdowns.

While free-agent additions such as outside linebacker Pernell McPhee and veteran strong safety Antrel Rolle were noteworthy, drawing much fewer headlines was the addition of outside linebacker Sam Acho—late of the Arizona Cardinals.

Given his recent history, it’s far from a shock. A fourth-round pick by the Cards in 2011, the former University of Texas product started 26 games his first two seasons and totaled a combined 11 sacks and five forced fumbles. But in actuality, he’s digressed after a respectable rookie campaign (seven sacks) and became expendable this offseason.

Chicago switches to the 3-4 defense this season under new coordinator Vic Fangio, and while McPhee is expected to start, Acho is currently buried on the depth chart with the likes of Jared Allen, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young. But the former Cardinals defender is much more versed in this style of defense than the aforementioned players, who will be making the transition from being 4-3 defensive ends.

Perhaps a change of scenery will also help Acho, who could help the Bears’ poor run defense of recent seasons.

4. Buffalo Bills: Signed FB Jerome Felton

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

As recently as 2013, the Buffalo Bills ranked second in the NFL in rushing, led by running backs such as C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson.

That same year, running back LeSean McCoy gained a league-high 1,607 yards on the ground for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Now, McCoy and the Bills are one, as the talented performer hopes to help new head coach Rex Ryan improve on Buffalo’s 28th-ranked running attack of this past season.

While the team looks to upgrade its offensive line, Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley have provided McCoy an escort in the form of former Pro Bowl fullback Jerome Felton, who used to run interference for running back Adrian Peterson in Minnesota.

Simply put, if McCoy is able to lead the league in rushing for the second time in three years in 2015, Felton will have a hand, as well as his whole body, in that noteworthy accomplishment.

3. Oakland Raiders: Signed SS Nate Allen

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Unfortunately for the once-formidable Oakland Raiders, their days as one of the spotlight franchises in the NFL have dwindled in recent years.

Not having a winning season since 2002 will do that to a team.

And because seemingly every move that the club makes these days is greeted with a moan and/or a groan, the addition of strong safety Nate Allen this offseason didn’t draw a ton of headlines.

That's understandable, since the Eagles finished next-to-last in the league in pass defense this past season just one year after giving up the most yards through the air in 2013.

Still, if the five-year defender can do what he was able to do for Philadelphia, new Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio should be ecstatic. Allen totaled seven takeaways for the Birds in 2014, half as many (14) as the Raiders managed in total during their 3-13 showing this past season.

2. Green Bay Packers: Re-Signed RT Bryan Bulaga

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

It’s been business as usual for the Green Bay Packers. Winners of four consecutive NFC North title, the team does a terrific job of developing talent and making sure it doesn’t get away.

This offseason, the team has re-signed veterans such as wide receiver Randall Cobb, defensive lineman B.J. Raji and fullback John Kuhn—all with the club since 2011.

The Packers also made sure that right tackle Bryan Bulaga didn’t get away, not that the move drew that much attention considering much of the offseason focus was on making sure Cobb would be coming back.

However, the five-year pro comes off arguably his best season to date, and according to Pro Football Focus, Bulaga was a top-10 pass-blocking tackle in 2014.

1. Tennessee Titans: Signed CB Perrish Cox

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

There has been a lot of news surrounding the Tennessee Titans in recent weeks.

Will the team use the second overall pick in this year’s draft on University of Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota? Could the franchise actually trade for veteran signal-caller Philip Rivers?

Instead of what may happen, what about what has happened? Via free agency, the team has done its best to upgrade one of the worst defensive units in the league. The list of additions includes three-time Pro Bowl outside linebacker Brian Orakpo (Washington Redskins), free safety Da’Norris Searcy (Buffalo Bills) and defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi (Atlanta Falcons).

Also joining the team was cornerback Perrish Cox, late of the San Francisco 49ers and a teammate of Chris Culliver, who received a little more attention when he inked a deal with the Washington Redskins.

While Cox didn’t rate as high as Culliver in the cornerback ratings of Pro Football Focus in 2014, he still enjoyed a productive year. The journeyman defender started a career-high 14 games this past season and finished fourth on the team with 53 tackles while leading the Niners with five interceptions and 18 passes defensed. He also scooped up a pair of fumbles, tallying seven of San Francisco’s 29 takeaways in 2014.

Now it’s off to Nashville, where Cox figures to aid a defense that has been substandard in recent seasons.

All free-agent information and player signings/transactions are courtesy of Spotrac. Depth chart information comes via Ourlads. Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro Football Reference and ESPN.com.