Every NFL Team's Biggest Offseason Move
The 2015 NFL offseason has been packed with activity. It seems that every team, whether good or bad, was feverish with activity, trying to improve its roster. Every season the salary cap forces teams to shuffle rosters in hopes of finding the perfect combination of talent and cost that will translate into wins.
The offseason consists of coaching changes, free agency and the draft. Most teams make moves in all three categories, and all qualify in terms of which move was the best for each franchise. For some teams a new face in charge could be enough to energize a roster. In other cases, adding that talented veteran makes all the difference.
However, sometimes it is all about the youth movement for teams on the rise. Which applies to your favorite team? Read on and find out. Let’s take a closer look at the best offseason move for every team in the NFL.
Arizona Cardinals
1 of 32
Signing guard Mike Iupati
It is clear that the Arizona Cardinals are making a concerted effort to becoming more physical on offense. The lack of a run game really reared its ugly head when Arizona struggled at quarterback and there was nothing to fall back on.
Guard Mike Iupati is a mauler in the run game with three Pro Bowls under his belt. Plugging him in at left guard gives Arizona a powerful left side along with tackle Jared Veldheer. The moves this team has made in addition to Iupati, like drafting running back David Johnson, should help improve a rushing attack that was No. 31 in the NFL last season.
Atlanta Falcons
2 of 32
Hiring head coach Dan Quinn
Sometimes, a team can have plenty of talent but lacks focus and direction. This was the case for the Atlanta Falcons under head coach Mike Smith. During Smith’s seven seasons with Atlanta, the team made the playoffs four times. However, the Falcons missed it the past two seasons, due in large part to a defense that seriously underwhelmed.
Enter Dan Quinn. He comes from the Seattle Seahawks and promises to bring an intense and aggressive philosophy to the Falcons defense. Quinn will leave the offense to Kyle Shanahan, which will let the head coach focus on bringing some punch back to the Atlanta defense. For all the player moves the Falcons made, it was this coaching change that promises to help the team the most.
Baltimore Ravens
3 of 32
Re-signing RB Justin Forsett
The Baltimore Ravens rebounded a bit in 2014 in terms of running the football. However, for all their previous struggles, the one bright spot was running back Justin Forsett. He was the focus of the rushing attack in 2014, providing 63 percent of the team's total rushing yards.
It was vital that the Ravens keep him in the fold, and general manager Ozzie Newsome wasted no time in wrapping him up. This removed running back from a top priority in the draft and allowed them to focus on other areas.
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Buffalo Bills
4 of 32
Trading for RB LeSean McCoy
When the Buffalo Bills were assessing their team for the upcoming season, they determined that running back C.J. Spiller wasn’t going to be part of the long-term plans. Spiller was a free agent, and the Bills made no attempt to bring him back with a new contract.
Instead, Buffalo traded for former Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy. This move was brilliant because it immediately puts one of the five best running backs in the league in the Buffalo backfield. With the Bills' quarterback situation being tenuous, having an elite running back working behind that big offensive line makes a ton of sense.
Carolina Panthers
5 of 32
Drafting WR Devin Funchess
This one might not rank at the top of a lot of writers’ lists, but bear with me. The Carolina Panthers have already shown how this sort of move can work. In 2014 they spent a first-round pick on wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. He was too raw and not fast enough but ended up with 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns.
Carolina went back to the well for another big, raw wide receiver in former Michigan tight end/wide receiver Devin Funchess. The addition of Funchess gives quarterback Cam Newton another huge target in the passing game. Another aspect he brings is his ability to line up inside as a traditional tight end as well as split out wide. He's a great pickup who should show early returns.
Chicago Bears
6 of 32
Hiring head coach John Fox
Similar to in Atlanta, the Chicago Bears are a team with talent that needed proper leadership. Out are Marc Trestman and his staff, and in is new head coach John Fox. This was as big a slam dunk of a signing as any this offseason. Fox is a quality head coach with tremendous experience and a proven track record for getting teams in order.
It isn’t just Fox who makes this signing so big. He also brought in talented assistants in offensive coordinator Adam Gase and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. This trio will make the most of the talent on the Chicago roster and almost certainly make the Bears competitive in their first year together.
Cincinnati Bengals
7 of 32
Drafting OT Jake Fisher in second round
Many might point to the Cincinnati Bengals' re-signing of guard Clint Boling as the top move the team made this offseason. It was vital that Cincinnati get Boling back under contract, and signing him to a new five-year deal is huge.
However, with offensive tackle as a current and future need, the Bengals made it a priority in the draft. After spending a first-round pick on former Texas A&M tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, the Bengals followed it up with former Oregon tackle Jake Fisher. With Ogbuehi still recovering from a knee injury, Fisher should be in line to start at right tackle sooner rather than later. Fisher was a steal and a huge get for this team.
Cleveland Browns
8 of 32
Signing WR Dwayne Bowe
Going into the offseason, the Cleveland Browns had very little in terms of talent at the wide receiver position. This meant that regardless of who was under center, his chances of success were going to be limited. The Browns weren’t going to trot out Taylor Gabriel and Andrew Hawkins and scare any secondaries.
They rectified this by signing former Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. During his time in Kansas City, Bowe was the most consistent weapon in what was a conservative passing game. He topped 60 receptions five times in eight seasons and should see an even greater increase in targets in Cleveland.
Dallas Cowboys
9 of 32
Signing OT La’el Collins
Plenty of teams wanted to sign former LSU offensive tackle La’el Collins after the draft. However, the Dallas Cowboys provided him not only the best opportunity to play but also put him on a team where he has a chance to win early in his career.
What makes this move the best for Dallas is that the team got its starting left guard with first-round tools without spending a single draft pick. Dallas has spent significant resources on building that offensive line, and Collins is an ideal fit.
Denver Broncos
10 of 32
Signing TE Owen Daniels
The signing of former Baltimore Ravens tight end Owen Daniels might seem rather tame by offseason splash standards. He is a 32-year old tight end who has never caught 70 receptions in a season. However, Daniels is now in a great position to help the Broncos win.
Denver spent a third-round pick on tight end Jeff Heuerman with the intention of adding another weapon in the passing game for quarterback Peyton Manning. However, with the season-ending injury to Heuerman, Daniels is now in a perfect position to be a co-starter in that Denver offense. His addition, without Julius Thomas on the roster, is huge for Manning and that passing game.
Detroit Lions
11 of 32
Trading for DT Haloti Ngata
After Detroit let defensive tackles Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh leave via free agency, the top priority had to be to try to replace that level of talent. And that is best done with a veteran free agent as opposed to a draft pick. Replacing both completely is impossible, but Detroit did pretty well.
Adding veteran defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is a huge signing for the Lions. Even at 31 years old, he can blow up offensive lines on the interior. His role with Baltimore was likely to be cut some with the emergence of Brandon Williams, so it was wise for him to get to Detroit, where he can be part of a team on the rise and be a full-time starter.
Green Bay Packers
12 of 32
Re-signing WR Randall Cobb
Sometimes, the best move a team can make isn’t about who it adds but who it keeps. It always sounds nice to go out and make wholesale changes, but that isn’t always prudent. Sometimes, it is better to keep the players who are most comfortable with the system and are known commodities, even if it costs a little more to do so.
That’s the philosophy the Green Bay Packers took when they chose not to let talented wide receiver Randall Cobb leave via free agency. He parlayed a 93-catch, 1,287-yard season that included 12 touchdowns into a new contract, and it was wise of the Packers to pay him. Cobb and Jordy Nelson form a dynamic duo at wide receiver that Green Bay was wise not to break up.
Houston Texans
13 of 32
Signing QB Brian Hoyer
All other things aside, if you don’t have a quarterback you can count on, you won’t win. This isn’t about having an elite player, but a steady, consistent performance is a must for a team to be competitive. The Houston Texans' quarterback situation was bare bones and bare shelves going into the offseason.
So it was wise that Houston acquired former Cleveland Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer to add a talented veteran presence at quarterback. In 2014 he was the best quarterback on the Browns roster, throwing for 3,326 yards and 12 touchdowns with little talent around him. The skill players in Houston should make his job much easier.
Indianapolis Colts
14 of 32
Signing RB Frank Gore
There were times when it was hard to watch running back Trent Richardson. When your football skills become the subject of Internet memes, you know that things are bad. The Indianapolis Colts recognized this as well and decided that sort of play wasn’t acceptable again this season.
The signing of former San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore is huge. He has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in 10 of his 12 NFL seasons and has never rushed for fewer than 4.0 yards per carry. He might be 32 years old, but he runs hard and will take the heat off quarterback Andrew Luck. Having Gore on the roster makes third downs and short yardage much more manageable for Indianapolis.
Jacksonville Jaguars
15 of 32
Signing TE Julius Thomas
When you have the player you believe can be your franchise quarterback, you must surround him with skill players. It isn’t about having a team full of Pro Bowlers, but weapons that a quarterback can count on really matters. This is what Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles got this offseason.
Tight end Julius Thomas burst on the season in 2013, and in 24 starts over the past two seasons, he has hauled in 108 receptions for 1,277 yards and a staggering 24 touchdowns. This is exactly the type of weapon that can make Bortles go from being a good quarterback to a great one.
Kansas City Chiefs
16 of 32
Franchising LB Justin Houston
First off, I recognize that the Kansas City Chiefs were desperate for help on offense. And yes, getting wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to replace Dwayne Bowe is huge. However, in the big picture, Maclin is not an elite player and only part of the puzzle for a struggling Kansas City offense.
However, on defense, linebacker Justin Houston is one of the top players at his position in the entire NFL. He is the alpha dog among pass-rushing outside linebackers in the league. Amassing 22 sacks in 2014 and 43 in the past three seasons is no joke. It was huge that the Chiefs chose to franchise Houston, and while they know they face a chore getting him signed next year, for now they keep the best pass-rusher in the league in uniform.
Miami Dolphins
17 of 32
Signing DT Ndamukong Suh
It isn’t often that one of the truly elite players in the league finds himself on the free-agent market. When former Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh hit the market, it didn’t take long for the Miami Dolphins to bring him into the fold.
Suh is a violent, disruptive force in the middle of a defense and elevates the play of everyone around him. Miami has some talent on the outside with Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon, and their lives have gotten a lot easier with Suh in the middle. If Miami returns to the playoffs in 2014, this signing will have played a key role.
Minnesota Vikings
18 of 32
Holding onto RB Adrian Peterson
Props to the Minnesota Vikings for holding serve on running back Adrian Peterson. The temptation (along with the opportunity) had to be there to let Peterson go to another team. Even if the offers were there to haul in some draft picks for one of the top running backs in the league, Minnesota didn’t budge.
With Teddy Bridgewater as one of the good young quarterbacks in the league, it is comforting to have a dominant running back behind him. The Vikings can be competitive against any team in the league with No. 28 in the backfield.
New England Patriots
19 of 32
Re-signing FS Devin McCourty
After letting cornerback Darrelle Revis leave for the rival New York Jets, the New England Patriots had to be sure to stop the bleeding in the secondary. Having to face Revis twice per year is bad enough; New England had to be smart with its remaining free agents.
So it was vital that the Pats keep safety Devin McCourty. His name might not carry the cache league-wide that Revis' does, but you cannot deny his talent. Logging 77 starts in five seasons at both cornerback and free safety and 17 career interceptions puts him among the most versatile and talented defensive backs in the league.
New Orleans Saints
20 of 32
Signing RB C.J. Spiller
There’s no way to sugarcoat it. Not having tight end Jimmy Graham next season is going to hurt the New Orleans Saints offense. Removing Graham takes a facet out of that explosive scheme with no player on the roster who can currently replace it. That means the Saints had to find a way to add a new element back in.
The element they added was to bring in a player to replace what running back Darren Sproles brought to this offense in 2011-2013. Running back C.J. Spiller wasn’t signed to be Graham, but he can give New Orleans a presence in the rushing and passing game that was missing in 2014. The pairing of Spiller and Mark Ingram gives the Saints a thunder-and-lightning backfield to take pressure off the passing game.
New York Giants
21 of 32
Drafting safety Landon Collins
You have to respect when a franchise recognizes a need and addresses it aggressively. It helps when it can be addressed with a player in the draft who represents an excellent value as well. The New York Giants knew that safety was a primary need, and when Alabama safety Landon Collins was on the board in the second round, they knew he had to be the pick.
Collins is such a great pick for New York because he adds a physical element to the defensive secondary. He comes downhill like a hammer in the run game and can even add a physical element in coverage. The Giants still have holes in the secondary, but the strong safety position is in good hands for the foreseeable future.
New York Jets
22 of 32
Signing CB Darrelle Revis
With all the moves the New York Jets made, it is hard to point to a single move as the best. The Jets have been aggressive all offseason and look to be a sleeper AFC team. But one move stands above the others.
Not only does signing cornerback Darrelle Revis improve the Jets secondary, but getting him means the New England Patriots don’t have him, which hamstrings their entire defense. This is a double win for the Jets and easily their best move.
Oakland Raiders
23 of 32
Hiring Ken Norton Jr. as defensive coordinator
As we move to the Oakland Raiders, we once again look at a coaching move as the one that stands out. That’s not to say the Raiders haven’t added some players, because they have. Wide receiver Amari Cooper looks to be the weapon that quarterback Derek Carr needs.
However, on defense, things are bad. The Raiders haven’t had a defense that ranked in the top 10 in either points or yards allowed since 2006. Adding Ken Norton Jr. as defensive coordinator comes with the promise that some of those principles that made the San Francisco 49ers so good while he was there will be making their way to Oakland.
Philadelphia Eagles
24 of 32
Signing running backs Ryan Mathews and DeMarco Murray
When the Philadelphia Eagles chose to trade LeSean McCoy, you just knew that head coach Chip Kelly had a plan. He is the mad professor of the NFL, and we are all just watching him experiment. Dealing McCoy gave the Eagles a playmaker on defense in Kiki Alonso, but they never missed a beat at running back.
Philadelphia didn’t just add the best running back in the NFL from 2014 in DeMarco Murray, but as an added bonus, it got Ryan Mathews as a one-two punch. Murray had 1,845 yards rushing in 2014, and going back to 2013 when he was healthy, Mathews rushed for a career-high 1,255 yards. Having these two backs will open up the offense for Kelly, because the ability to use the running backs in the passing game is huge for the efficiency of that scheme.
Pittsburgh Steelers
25 of 32
Drafting LB Alvin Dupree
It’s no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers struggle to rush the passer. In that base 3-4 defense, it is the job of the outside linebackers to come off the edge and bring heat on the quarterback. After a swing and a miss in 2013 with Jarvis Jones, the Steelers went back to the well in 2015 and knocked it out of the park.
Kentucky linebacker Alvin “Bud” Dupree gives Pittsburgh a big, athletic edge-rusher that this team hasn’t seen in a long time. It was great fortune that he lasted to the Steelers' first-round pick, and Pittsburgh was fortunate to land an elite talent like him that late.
San Diego Chargers
26 of 32
Drafting RB Melvin Gordon
2014 marked a terrible season for the San Diego Chargers in running the football. They were No. 30 in the league and averaged a woeful 3.4 yards per carry. I’m sure fans weren’t hurt when the Chargers chose to let Ryan Mathews leave. His inability to stay healthy held this offense back for years. It didn’t help that San Diego had done little to add any depth behind him, though.
However, when the draft rolled around, the Chargers took care of that. Drafting former Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon is huge because it gives them a true feature back who can carry the load. Gordon is patient, elusive and explosive with rare physical gifts among NFL running backs.
San Francisco 49ers
27 of 32
Signing WR Torrey Smith
Ignoring that fact that the San Francisco 49ers are scrambling to rebuild their defense, they did make a pretty serious move to improve their offense. That offense only mustered 19.1 points per game in 2014 and a lowly 191.4 yards passing per game. Getting someone out there as a weapon for quarterback Colin Kaepernick was a top priority.
So what did the 49ers do? They signed former Baltimore Ravens speedster Torrey Smith to be that deep wide receiver San Francisco needs. Smith is a career 16.9 yards-per-catch guy with only four years in the league. His best football is ahead of him, and he is a great addition to this offense.
Seattle Seahawks
28 of 32
Trading for TE Jimmy Graham
If the Seattle Seahawks can make it to the Super Bowl two years in a row with Doug Baldwin and Golden Tate as the leading wide receivers, just imagine what they can do with an elite talent catching passes? Well, we are all going to find out. Seattle made a huge splash in trading for tight end Jimmy Graham.
What does Graham bring to the party? How about 85-plus receptions four seasons in a row and 46 touchdowns during that same stretch? Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson has to be chomping at the bit to use the three-time Pro Bowler in the passing game.
St. Louis Rams
29 of 32
Trading for QB Nick Foles
The five-year experiment that was quarterback Sam Bradford has finally come to an end for the St. Louis Rams. They were at a point where they had to pay him or cut him loose. They decided to give Bradford a fresh start with the Philadelphia Eagles and in turn hoped to improve their own quarterback situation.
Adding Nick Foles gives the talented quarterback a new address and a new lease on life. And the best part is he is coming to a team with lots of talent on offense. Foles is a great fit for what head coach Jeff Fisher wants to do, and he should see tremendous success.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
30 of 32
Drafting QB Jameis Winston
If you are a team without a great starting quarterback, your top priority has to be to find one. There will always be some misses in the search for a franchise-quality signal-caller, but that doesn’t mean a team stops trying. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers recognized this and chose to dedicate the No. 1 overall pick to a player they hope is their quarterback of the future.
Former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston is one of the most successful quarterbacks in college football history. In only two seasons he amassed a 27-1 record, throwing for 7,964 yards and winning both a BCS championship and a Heisman Trophy. The Buccaneers are banking on all that talent and magic making their way to Tampa and translating to success.
Tennessee Titans
31 of 32
Drafting QB Marcus Mariota
Just like the Buccaneers, the Tennessee Titans recognized the need and made the leap to draft a quarterback in the first round in 2015. For Tennessee, things are a bit different, as former Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota brings a unique package for the Titans coaches to work with.
It’s impossible to know how close the Titans were to trading the No. 2 overall pick, but this move was great because they didn’t take the bait. Getting all those extra players while mired with poor quarterback play still would make for a bad football team. If the Titans can optimize what Mariota does well, this pick will look genius.
Washington Redskins
32 of 32
Signing DT Terrance Knighton
The heart and soul of any successful 3-4 defense is the nose tackle. A team can have all the great players it wants, but if it is soft up the middle, opponents will find a way to run on it and then in turn throw the ball. The Washington Redskins had a great draft, but their top move came in free agency.
Adding nose tackle Terrance Knighton on a one-year deal gives Washington 331 pounds of immovable object right over the center. His presence allows the rest of the defense to operate, knowing it’s going to take four arms to keep Pot Roast contained.
Unless specified, all player and team stats courtesy of NFL.com.
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