Recapping Every NFL Team's Key Additions and Losses
The NFL offseason is coming to a close. Like the frothing caravans in a Mad Max world, teams slashed and signed their way to new roster realities, kicking up plenty of dust along the way. And the NFL's world has changed, as it does every offseason.
Let's take a look at the biggest losses and additions for each team, focusing on free agency and the draft. We won't bother with players who re-signed or inked big extensions—they were already there.
Arizona Cardinals
1 of 32
Key Additions: OG Mike Iupati, CB Alfonzo Dennard, ILB Sean Weatherspoon, DL Corey Peters, DE Cory Redding, OLB LaMarr Woodley, OT D.J. Humphries (R), OLB Markus Golden (R), RB David Johnson (R)
Key Losses: DL Dan Williams, CB Antonio Cromartie, DL Darnell Dockett, WR Ted Ginn, ILB Larry Foote, OG Paul Fanaika, LB Sam Acho
There has been a ton of turnover on that Cardinals defense this offseason.
It's tough to tell whether Corey Peters, Cory Redding and Alfonzo Dennard will be quality replacements for departed Dan Williams, Darnell Dockett and Antonio Cromartie, respectively, but Arizona did a nice job replenishing the ranks with starter material.
On the other side of the ball, the offensive line certainly got a boost. Mike Iupati might have been a tad expensive, but he sorely shores up a perennially soft interior.
Atlanta Falcons
2 of 32
Key Additions: OLB Brooks Reed, LB Justin Durant, DE Adrian Clayborn, OLB O'Brien Schofield, Vic Beasley (R), Jalen Collins (R), RB Tevin Coleman (R)
Key Losses: RB Steven Jackson, WR Harry Douglas, DL Corey Peters, ILB Sean Weatherspoon, CB Robert McClain
The pass rush has been a black hole of despair in Atlanta in recent years. The Falcons had the second-fewest sacks in the league last season with just 22, and they have ranked in the bottom five in sacks over the past three seasons.
Upgrading that facet of the team was clearly a priority for general manager Thomas Dimitroff. Signing Brooks Reed and drafting Vic Beasley at No. 8 probably means last season was the nadir for the pass rush in Atlanta.
There wasn't much done to address the offense, which could be problematic if the offensive line plays like it has over the past two years. Tyler Polumbus is the answer to a question nobody is asking at tackle, and expecting anything out of seventh-round pick Jake Rodgers is wishful thinking.
Atlanta did upgrade at running back, jettisoning bald-tired Steven Jackson and drafting a direct replacement in Tevin Coleman.
Baltimore Ravens
3 of 32
Key Additions: FS Kendrick Lewis, CB Kyle Arrington, WR Breshad Perriman (R), TE Maxx Williams (R), DL Carl Davis (R), WR Darren Waller (R)
Key Losses: DL Haloti Ngata, OLB Pernell McPhee, WR Torrey Smith, TE Owen Daniels, S Darian Stewart, WR/KR Jacoby Jones, NT Terrence Cody
One of these years, attrition is going to catch up to the Baltimore defense.
The Ravens have been bleeding starters over the past few offseasons—whether lost to free agency, retirement or even trades—yet that unit hasn't lost much on the field. The Ravens ranked in the top 10 in scoring and total defense last season.
This year, they lost stalwart defensive lineman Haloti Ngata and nascent pass-rusher Pernell McPhee, not to mention quality contributor Darian Stewart. Next man up?
On offense, the Ravens replaced expensive free agent Torrey Smith with Breshad Perriman, a speedster who could replicate much of what his predecessor did right out of the gate. Maxx Williams will make Baltimore fans forget they lost Owen Daniels to free agency and Dennis Pitta's injury woes.
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Buffalo Bills
4 of 32
Key Additions: RB LeSean McCoy, QB Matt Cassel, TE Charles Clay, WR Percy Harvin, QB Tyrod Taylor, CB Ronald Darby (R), OG John Miller (R), RB Karlos Williams (R)
Key Losses: LB Kiko Alonso, TE Scott Chandler, RB C.J. Spiller, S Da'Norris Searcy, LB Brandon Spikes, OG Erik Pears, QB Kyle Orton
Improving the offense was the name of the game this offseason in Buffalo, and the Bills certainly seem to have done that on paper. Whether they overpaid or not will be another matter to analyze at a later date.
The point is running back LeSean McCoy, tight end Charles Clay, wide receiver Percy Harvin and even quarterback Matt Cassel—or Tyrod Taylor—represent big upgrades at their respective positions.
Those moves came at the expense of the defense, however.
Kiko Alonso—the athletic linebacker who nearly won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors just two years ago before hurting his knee—was traded to bring McCoy aboard, and quality two-down linebacker Brandon Spikes went back to the New England Patriots.
The biggest loss came in the form of Da'Norris Searcy, the second starting safety the Bills have lost in the past two offseasons.
That defense is still rather talented, however, and new head coach Rex Ryan figures to take that unit to the next level if history is any indication.
Carolina Panthers
5 of 32
Key Additions: OT Michael Oher, CB Teddy Williams, WR/KR Ted Ginn, S Kurt Coleman, CB Charles Tillman, LB Shaq Thompson (R), WR Devin Funchess (R), RB Cameron Artis-Payne (R)
Key Losses: DE Greg Hardy, RB DeAngelo Williams, OT Byron Bell, S Thomas DeCoud
As free agency goes, there wasn't much to see in Carolina.
The biggest loss was also the biggest headache—embattled defensive end Greg Hardy, who brought an entire set of luggage with him to Dallas. His skills as a pass-rusher will certainly be missed, though, and the Panthers haven't done much to address that situation.
They did try to do something about the offensive tackle problem, but dropping Byron Bell in favor of Michael Oher is like choosing between Transformers films.
Carolina's draft is going to be interesting to evaluate in a couple of seasons—linebacker Shaq Thompson and wide receiver Devin Funchess have big upside but plenty of bust potential to go with it.
Chicago Bears
6 of 32
Key Additions: OLB Pernell McPhee, ILB Mason Foster, S Antrel Rolle, WR Eddie Royal, CB Alan Ball, WR Kevin White (R), DT Eddie Goldman (R), C Hroniss Grasu (R), S Adrian Amos (R)
Key Losses: WR Brandon Marshall, DT Stephen Paea, LB Lance Briggs, S Chris Conte, CB Charles Tillman, OC Roberto Garza, ILB Darryl Sharpton
There has been a sea of change in Chicago this offseason, where the Bears have overhauled the front office and roster alike.
Head coach John Fox brings a whole new philosophy to the club, as do offensive and defensive coordinators Adam Gase and Vic Fangio, respectively. New general manager Ryan Pace needed to do some roster reconstruction based on scheme alone.
Analyst Bill Williamson summed up the Bears' offseason succinctly, according to Mike Sando of ESPN.com Insider:
"I guess they did well. Losing Marshall and getting White, adding a center, hiring a good offensive coordinator in Adam Gase — the offense should be pretty good. Going to a 3-4 on defense, I thought they might need 10 new starters, but now I look at their defense and do not think it is awful. They are not contenders, but I give them a B grade.
"
Chicago did a nice job replacing Brandon Marshall with rookie Kevin White, arguably the best receiver in the class. Eddie Goldman should be a plug-and-play rookie at defensive tackle out of the second round, too.
Of course, the Bears couldn't do the one thing they probably wanted to do most—get rid of oft-maligned quarterback Jay Cutler.
Cincinnati Bengals
7 of 32
Key Additions: DE Michael Johnson, ILB A.J. Hawk, DT Pat Sims, WR Denarius Moore, OT Cedric Ogbuehi (R), OT Jake Fisher (R), LB Paul Dawson (R), CB Josh Shaw (R)
Key Losses: OT Marshall Newhouse, CB Terence Newman, DE Robert Geathers, S Taylor Mays
As per usual, the offseason was mostly about the draft for the Cincinnati Bengals.
The biggest free-agent move came in the form of re-acquiring defensive end Michael Johnson, who spent a prodigal season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bengals certainly missed him, ranking dead last in sacks last season.
It was a bit amusing to see Cincinnati double down on Andrew Whitworth's dare to draft his replacement, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Dehner Jr. before the draft. The Bengals took offensive tackles in the first and second rounds, though neither Cedric Ogbuehi or Jake Fisher should supplant Whitworth this season.
Cleveland Browns
8 of 32
Key Additions: QB Josh McCown, CB Tramon Williams, WR Dwayne Bowe, WR Brian Hartline, DL Randy Starks, TE Rob Housler, DT Danny Shelton (R), OL Cameron Erving (R), OLB Nate Orchard (R), RB Duke Johnson (R)
Key Losses: TE Jordan Cameron, OLB Jabaal Sheard, CB Buster Skrine, QB Brian Hoyer, WR Josh Gordon (suspended), DT Ahtyba Rubin
For all the roster churning in Cleveland, the Browns still have one glaring problem—they don't have a quarterback.
Granted, we don't know if Johnny Manziel might be able to turn things around after his disastrous rookie season, but Josh McCown certainly isn't that guy.
Quarterback purgatory doesn't have to be the end of the world—an elite defense and strong running game can mask issues at the position. So the Browns have tried to address their roster from that standpoint, upgrading the defensive front and offensive lines, while adding another talented running back to their stable.
Mike Pettine's squad had some surprising success in 2014 despite the quarterback conundrum, and we could see them get to .500 or better if their offseason moves pan out.
Dallas Cowboys
9 of 32
Key Additions: RB Darren McFadden, DE Greg Hardy, LB Andrew Gachkar, LB Jasper Brinkley, CB Byron Jones (R), OL La'el Collins (R), OLB Randy Gregory (R)
Key Losses: RB DeMarco Murray, DT Henry Melton, LB Justin Durant, RT Jermey Parnell, WR/KR Dwayne Harris, LB Bruce Carter, DE George Selvie, OLB Anthony Spencer, CB Sterling Moore
For a while there it seemed like the Dallas Cowboys were drifting off course, the winds of salary cap woes and free agency pushing them away from their flight path. Then they turned things around.
Make no mistake, there was an exodus of talent from Dallas this offseason, much of it having to do with the inability to pay everyone and stay under the salary cap. Losing the NFL's reigning rushing champion—to a division rival, no less—was a punch to the gut, but all that talent gone on the defensive side were jabs to a team that had finally made the playoffs after years of frustrated mediocrity.
The one big move the Cowboys made was met with disdain after they signed Greg Hardy to shore up the pass rush. It didn't take long for karma to hit—Hardy was suspended for 10 games, meaning he will have missed more than one-and-a-half seasons if the punishment sticks.
With a magician's flourish, however, owner and general manager Jerry Jones turned despair into delight.
No team had a better draft than the Cowboys. Not only did they get supremely athletic cornerback Byron Jones late in the first round, they stole pass-rusher Randy Gregory late in the second after his draft stock took a tumble.
Best of all, however, was Jones' ability to pull first-round talent La'el Collins in undrafted free agency before anyone else could have a serious shot. The former LSU offensive tackle bolsters an already strong offensive line.
Denver Broncos
10 of 32
Key Additions: TE Owen Daniels, FS Darian Stewart, TE/FB James Casey, OG Shelley Smith, DL Vance Walker, OLB Shane Ray (R), OT Ty Sambrailo (R), TE Jeff Heuerman (R-injured)
Key Losses: OG Orlando Franklin, TE Julius Thomas, WR Wes Welker, DT Terrance Knighton, LB Nate Irving, OG Manny Ramirez, C Will Montgomery, FS Rahim Moore
A bitter end to the 2014 season meant curtains for head coach John Fox, who took offensive coordinator Adam Gase with him to Chicago on the rebound.
New head coach Gary Kubiak inherited a nice roster, and he has something he never did with the Houston Texans—a bona fide quarterback.
Sure, Peyton Manning might be in the twilight of his career, but he is infinitely better than anything Kubiak ever dealt with in Houston. Unfortunately for Manning and Kubiak, the Broncos roster got worse on paper this offseason.
Several starters bolted for greener pastures. The Broncos did an admirable job finding replacements for them all on paper, but most of them are downgrades at the individual positions.
Take Owen Daniels, for example—a nice player over the years, but he is no Julius Thomas. The same goes for Shelley Smith replacing Orlando Franklin at guard.
The draft was a mixed bag for Denver, where the Broncos picked up polarizing pass-rusher Shane Ray late in the first round and potential long-term Ryan Clady replacement Ty Sambrailo in the second. Rookie tight end Jeff Heuerman met an unfortunate fate in rookie minicamp, where he tore his ACL and should miss his entire inaugural season.
If rookies and other young replacements like defensive tackle Sylvester Williams and wide receiver Cody Latimer don't step up this season, the Broncos will be a bit worse for wear in 2015.
Detroit Lions
11 of 32
Key Additions: DT Haloti Ngata, OG Manny Ramirez, DT Tyrunn Walker, WR Lance Moore, OG Laken Tomlinson (R), RB Ameer Abdullah (R), CB Alex Carter (R), DT Gabe Wright (R)
Key Losses: DT Ndamukong Suh, RB Reggie Bush, DT Nick Fairley, OT Garrett Reynolds, DE George Johnson
No matter how anyone spins it, losing one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the league was a big blow for the Detroit Lions.
Sure, Suh could buy 3,500 Chrysler 300s with the money he got from Miami, but the Lions weren't far behind in their bid to keep the Detroit native. They made things worse by losing Nick Fairley's phone number.
The Lions did replace those two with Haloti Ngata and Tyrunn Walker—not to mention fourth-round defensive tackle Gabe Wright—but it's difficult to see that run defense retain its top ranking from a year ago after that sort of attrition.
The good news is there wasn't much else lost for the Lions this offseason.
Green Bay Packers
12 of 32
Key Additions: DB Damarious Randall (R), CB Quinten Rollins (R), WR Ty Montgomery (R), LB Jake Ryan (R), QB Brett Hundley (R)
Key Losses: LB Brad Jones, CB Davon House, LB A.J. Hawk, CB Tramon Williams
As per usual, there wasn't much free-agent activity in Green Bay this offseason.
General manager Ted Thompson's penchant for penny-pinching was once again on display as the Packers let under-producing or overpriced players go while all but ignoring available free agents.
Instead, Green Bay focused on keeping the cream of the crop—guys like receiver Randall Cobb and offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga—while replenishing the rankis from the draft.
It was a curious draft, too, one that saw the Packers grab a seemingly superfluous safety in the first round and reach a bit for a cornerback in the second. Green Bay is going to rely on some unproven or raw talent this season, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
Houston Texans
13 of 32
Key Additions: DT Vince Wilfork, QB Brian Hoyer, FS Rahim Moore, WR Cecil Shorts, CB Kevin Johnson (R), LB Benardrick McKinney (R), WR Jaelen Strong (R), RB Mack Brown (R)
Key Losses: WR Andre Johnson, C Chris Myers, OLB Brooks Reed, FS Kendrick Lewis, WR DeVier Posey, SS D.J. Swearinger, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
As with the Cleveland Browns, the Houston Texans remain in quarterback purgatory. The good news is the rest of the team is more talented, at least on paper.
The defense is particularly fearsome, especially with the addition of Vince Wilfork to beef up the middle. If former No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney can make it all the way back from microfracture surgery and become the pass-rushing force he was drafted to be, opposing quarterbacks aren't going to be thrilled to see Houston coming up on the schedule.
Rookie cornerback Kevin Johnson should be a nice nickel corner behind Johnathan Joseph and Kareem Jackson, and Bernardrick McKinney should shore up a middle linebacker position that has been plagued by injury.
Few receivers could really replace departed Andre Johnson, even if he is getting a bit long in the tooth. But adding Cecil Shorts and rookie Jaelen Strong certainly helped mitigate the loss.
Indianapolis Colts
14 of 32
Key Additions: WR Andre Johnson, DL Kendall Langford, OLB Trent Cole, RB Frank Gore, OG Todd Herremans, LB Nate Irving, WR Phillip Dorsett (R), CB D'Joun Smith (R), DE Henry Anderson (R), RB Josh Robinson (R)
Key Losses: DE Ricky Jean-Francois, S LaRon Landry, RB Trent Richardson, DE Cory Redding, S Sergio Brown, WR Hakeem Nicks, OLB Shaun Phillips
Out with the old, in with the older.
That seemed to be the motto in Indianapolis this offseason, at least when it came to free agency. The Colts upgraded with the likes of receiver Andre Johnson, running back Frank Gore and outside linebacker Trent Cole, but the average age of the team went up a tad when they came aboard.
Thank goodness for the NFL draft, where the Colts picked up some young bucks to fill the ranks.
Jacksonville Jaguars
15 of 32
Key Additions: TE Julius Thomas, CB Davon House, DT Jared Odrick, RT Jermey Parnell, C Stefen Wisniewski, LB Dan Skuta, S Sergio Brown, OLB Dante Fowler (R-injured), RB T.J. Yeldon (R), S James Sample (R), OL A.J. Cann (R), DL Michael Bennett (R)
Key Losses: CB Will Blackmon, LB J.T. Thomas, WR Cecil Shorts, CB Teddy Williams, CB Alan Ball
The Jacksonville Jaguars had themselves quite the offseason.
Flush with cap space, the perennial rebuilders went to work adding big-time pieces on both sides of the ball. Julius Thomas was a huge upgrade at tight end, as was Jared Odrick at defensive tackle. Jermey Parnell should shore up the right tackle position, and Stefen Wisniewski might answer a need at center.
About the only bad thing to come out of the offseason was out of Jacksonville's control—No. 3 overall pick Dante Fowler was lost for the season on the first day of rookie minicamp, a brutal injury that will hurt the pass rush.
Kansas City Chiefs
16 of 32
Key Additions: WR Jeremy Maclin, OG Ben Grubbs, CB Marcus Peters (R), OL Mitch Morse (R), WR Chris Conley (R), CB Steven Nelson (R),
Key Losses: C Rodney Hudson, WR Dwayne Bowe, TE Anthony Fasano, DT Vance Walker
Against all odds—that is to say, no cap space heading into the offseason—Jeremy Maclin was reunited with Andy Reid in Kansas City.
His arrival is a big upgrade at wide receiver, where Dwayne Bowe was a major disappointment after signing a big contract extension a few years ago.
Losing Rodney Hudson hurt an already ailing offensive line, though trading for Ben Grubbs might have mitigated that loss. Third-round pick Mitch Morse might get on the field early with the dearth of talent on that line.
Miami Dolphins
17 of 32
Key Additions: DT Ndamukong Suh, WR Kenny Stills, TE Jordan Cameron, CB Brice McCain, OL J.D. Walton, WR Greg Jennings, CB Zack Bowman, LB Spencer Paysinger, WR DeVante Parker (R), DT Jordan Phillips (R), OG Jamil Douglas (R), RB Jay Ajayi (R)
Key Losses: WR Mike Wallace, DL Randy Starks, TE Charles Clay, DT Jared Odrick, LB Dannell Ellerbe, OG Shelley Smith, WR Brian Hartline, LB Philip Wheeler, DB Jimmy Wilson, LB Jason Trusnik
The Dolphins won the biggest prize in free agency when they signed Ndamukong Suh to the richest contract in NFL history for a defensive player. It'll be tough for Suh to meet value at $114 million, but Miami's defensive line is going to be a nightmare for opposing offenses for the foreseeable future.
Signing Suh required sacrifice elsewhere, though, which is why there was such a large loss of talent, too. The Dolphins couldn't afford to keep fellow defensive tackle Jared Odrick, for example, which is part of the reason they drafted Jordan Phillips in the second round.
Tight end Charles Clay was also a casualty of expense, though Miami may have let him go at that price regardless of other contracts on the books.
On paper, the Dolphins certainly improved overall this offseason. Kenny Stills is a far cheaper and younger version of Mike Wallace, who was exiled to the north after a bit of a tumultuous tenure in Miami. Jordan Cameron is a big talent if he can stay on the field, a theoretical upgrade over Clay when healthy.
The Dolphins even got themselves a bona fide No. 1 receiver if DeVante Parker lives up to the hype out of the first round.
Miami didn't do a ton to address holes at linebacker and cornerback, relying on bargain-bin free agents and draft picks from yesteryear to fill the void. That reality could come back to haunt the Dolphins in 2015.
Minnesota Vikings
18 of 32
Key Additions: WR Mike Wallace, CB Terence Newman, S Taylor Mays, QB Shaun Hill, CB Trae Waynes (R), LB Eric Kendricks (R), DE Danielle Hunter (R), OT T.J. Clemmings (R)
Key Losses: WR Greg Jennings, LB Jasper Brinkley, OG Charlie Johnson, QB Matt Cassel, LB Erin Henderson, DL Corey Wootton, FB Jerome Felton
The Minnesota Vikings were a bit of a surprise, nearly hitting .500 last season after stumbling to 5-11 the year before. It seems going in a new direction with head coach Mike Zimmer had some early returns.
Of course, nabbing quarterback Teddy Bridgewater late in the first round helped a bit. The rookie out of Louisville bucked his detractors and had a fine inaugural season, one that saw him rate out as the third-best quarterback in the entire league during the second half of the season, according to Pro Football Focus.
That was without former MVP running back Adrian Peterson and any sort of consistency at wide receiver. Peterson is back—assuming he doesn't force a trade by holding out, as is his goal according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press—and the Vikings did their best to upgrade Bridgewater's wide receiver corps this offseason.
Mike Wallace gets a new lease of NFL life with Bridgewater, where he joins nascent Charles Johnson and dangerous-but-still-raw Cordarrelle Patterson at receiver. If Wallace plays up to his contract, he will be a big addition for that offense.
Defensively, the Vikings drafted their cornerback of the future to line up opposite Xavier Rhodes. Moreover, first-rounder Trae Waynes need not be thrown into the fire as a starter with veteran Terence Newman in the fold, too.
New England Patriots
19 of 32
Key Additions: OLB Jabaal Sheard, LB Brandon Spikes, TE Fred Davis, CB Bradley Fletcher, TE Scott Chandler, DT Malcom Brown (R), S Jordan Richards (R), DE Trey Flowers (R), G Tre' Jackson (R)
Key Losses: CB Darrelle Revis, DT Vince Wilfork, OLB Akeem Ayers, CB Brandon Browner, RB Shane Vereen, CB Kyle Arrington, LB Jonathan Casillas, RB Stevan Ridley, CB Alfonzo Dennard
It's been a quiet offseason in New England, hasn't it? Peaceful. Serene. Celebratory. What else could we say?
If only.
Setting aside the whole Deflategate debacle, it hasn't been a particularly pretty offseason for the defending champs.
It started when the Patriots let Vince Wilfork go. The long-time starter at defensive tackle might have been too expensive for his age, but that leaves rookie Malcom Brown trying to fill that void.
Not long after that, the Patriots declined Darrelle Revis' option, letting the star cornerback hit free agency only to watch him land with hated division rivals. The Patriots also lost fellow starter Brandon Browner and a couple of other contributors at the position.
In addition to the talent attrition—not to mention that cloud looming off the field—the fact the rest of the AFC East has gotten stronger on paper has seemingly endangered New England's stranglehold on the division.
New Orleans Saints
20 of 32
Key Additions: LB Dannell Ellerbe, C Max Unger, RB C.J. Spiller, CB Brandon Browner, OLB Anthony Spencer, OT Andrus Peat (R), LB Stephone Anthony (R), OLB Hau'oli Kikaha (R), QB Garrett Grayson (R)
Key Losses: TE Jimmy Graham, OG Ben Grubbs, WR Kenny Stills, ILB Curtis Lofton, DT Tyrunn Walker, RB Travaris Cadet, CB Patrick Robinson, RB Pierre Thomas
Cap problems can be hell. Just ask the Saints.
New Orleans was all but forced to part ways with star tight end Jimmy Graham because of cap issues. The Saints also got rid of a fine guard and a nascent wideout, though the motivation for those trades weren't all about money.
The Saints were able to land C.J. Spiller to replace departed Pierre Thomas, and cornerback Brandon Browner should mitigate the loss of Patrick Robinson.
Rookies Andrus Peat and Stephone Anthony should have an opportunity to step in and contribute right away at offensive guard and inside linebacker, respectively. That is if Peat is cut out for the inside, at any rate.
New York Giants
21 of 32
Key Additions: RB Shane Vereen, WR/KR Dwayne Harris, DT Kenrick Ellis, DE George Selvie, OT Ereck Flowers (R), SS Landon Collins (R), Owa Odighizuwa (R)
Key Losses: S Antrel Rolle, OC J.D. Walton, CB Walter Thurmond, CB Zack Bowman, LB Spencer Paysinger, S Stevie Brown, DE Mathias Kiwanuka, OT Will Beatty (injured)
There wasn't much to speak of in free agency for the Giants, neither positive nor negative.
The biggest loss came in the form of declining safety Antrel Rolle, the biggest addition arguably running back Shane Vereen.
He joins second-year bruiser Andre Williams and veteran all-around back Rashad Jennings in a backfield that looks far better than the one New York featured just two years ago.
It's a good thing the Giants spent the ninth overall pick on offensive tackle Ereck Flowers—starting left tackle Will Beatty was lost for the season with a torn pectoral, per Bill Pennington of the New York Times. Flowers could be asked to step right into the fire as a rookie.
New York Jets
22 of 32
Key Additions: WR Brandon Marshall, CB Darrelle Revis, RB Stevan Ridley, CB Antonio Cromartie, OG James Carpenter, S Marcus Gilchrist, CB Buster Skrine, LB Erin Henderson, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
Key Losses: WR Percy Harvin, DT Kenrick Ellis, CB/KR Kyle Wilson
If you had to pick an offseason winner, it would be the New York Jets.
New York dramatically turned its fortunes around—at least on paper—with a fantastic free-agency period followed by a great draft.
The Jets completely overhauled its secondary, bringing star cornerback Darrelle Revis back into the fold along with former running mate Antonio Cromartie and slot corner Buster Skrine. Along with new free safety Marcus Gilchrist, Calvin Pryor—last year's first-round safety—can play in the box, where he should be far more effective.
If that weren't enough, the defensive line is just nasty.
Already great before the draft, the big uglies up front on defense got a boost from Leonard Williams. Called the safest player in the draft by many, Williams fell right into New York's lap at No. 6, stacking the talent at defensive end while giving the Jets long-term insurance in case disgruntled Muhammad Wilkerson gets moved or leaves next year.
Not to be outdone—well, at least trying not to be outdone—the offense gave quarterback Geno Smith more help in the form of big wideout Brandon Marshall and offensive guard James Carpenter.
Oh, and the Jets signed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Oakland Raiders
23 of 32
Key Additions: OC Rodney Hudson, WR Michael Crabtree, RB Roy Helu, NT Dan Williams, S Nate Allen, RB Trent Richardson, WR Amari Cooper (R), DE Mario Edwards (R), TE Clive Walford (R)
Key Losses: OLB LaMarr Woodley, S Tyvon Branch, RB Darren McFadden, DT Pat Sims, DE Antonio Smith, WR Denarius Moore, OC Stefen Wisniewski, WR James Jones
The roster churning continues in Oakland, where general manager Reggie McKenzie has tried overhauling personnel with plenty of cap space yet again.
Oakland once again went into free agency with a ton of cap space, and the Raiders came out of it with remarkably bland results for the second consecutive offseason. Consider the fact their biggest additions were a high-priced center, a nose tackle, a wide receiver no other team wanted and a plodding running back nobody should have wanted.
McKenzie did have another nice draft, however, nabbing the best wide receiver and bolstering the defensive line in the first couple of rounds. Tight end Clive Walford could be a sneaky great pick out of the third round, too.
Still, on paper, the Raiders didn't do a ton to get out of the AFC West cellar.
Philadelphia Eagles
24 of 32
Key Additions: QB Sam Bradford, RB DeMarco Murray, CB Byron Maxwell, ILB Brad Jones, LB Kiko Alonso, RB Ryan Mathews, WR Nelson Agholor (R), DB Eric Rowe (R), ILB Jordan Hicks (R)
Key Losses: QB Nick Foles, RB LeSean McCoy, ILB Casey Matthews, OLB Trent Cole, WR Jeremy Maclin, CB Bradley Fletcher, TE James Casey, CB Cary Williams, S Nate Allen
Trader Chip grabbed a hold of the controls in Philadelphia this offseason, and the results were fantastical.
The Philadelphia Eagles confounded analysts by making a trade that sent Nick Foles and a high draft pick away for oft-injured Sam Bradford. At first, it seemed like a ploy to move up for Marcus Mariota, but head coach Chip Kelly seems bent on Bradford as the quarterback of the future.
That trade was nothing compared to the one that sent star running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills for linebacker Kiko Alonso. The latter is coming back from a torn ACL suffered a year ago, but he should certainly be an upgrade at the position if he can get back to form.
The money savings from McCoy's departure didn't last very long—Philadelphia signed reigning rushing champion DeMarco Murray to a big contract, not to mention his backup Ryan Mathews to a pretty substantial deal, too.
Losing his leading receiver for the second consecutive year should be mitigated by the arrival of rookie Nelson Agholor, whom the Eagles took at No. 20 after all the crazy rumors they would move up for Mariota proved to be fiction.
As wild as the offseason has been in Philadelphia, the Eagles do seem to be younger and better on paper. Whether some of those key, fragile pieces can stay healthy, now, is another matter entirely.
Pittsburgh Steelers
25 of 32
Key Additions: RB DeAngelo Williams, OLB Bud Dupree (R), CB Senquez Golson (R), WR Sammie Coates (R), TE Jesse James (R)
Key Losses: OLB Jason Worilds, S Troy Polamalu, CB Brice McCain, WR Lance Moore, DE Brett Keisel
Outside a massive extension for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, there wasn't much to be said about Pittsburgh's offseason, at least in terms of free agency.
On the contrary, the Steelers lost stalwart star Troy Polamalu to retirement, not too long after pass-rusher Jason Worilds unexpectedly hung up his cleats. Hopefully rookie Bud Dupree can step in right away—that pass rush isn't looking pretty otherwise.
It's a good thing DeAngelo Williams was available for cheap—the Steelers will be without Le'Veon Bell at running back for the first three games of the season due to suspension, barring a reduction before the season hits.
San Diego Chargers
26 of 32
Key Additions: OG Orlando Franklin, WR/KR Jacoby Jones, OT Joe Barksdale, CB Patrick Robinson, WR Stevie Johnson, DB Jimmy Wilson, RB Melvin Gordon (R), LB Denzel Perryman (R), CB Craig Mager (R)
Key Losses: S Marcus Gilchrist, WR Eddie Royal, RB Ryan Mathews, C Nick Hardwick, OLB Jarret Johnson, CB Shareece Wright, LB Andrew Gachkar, OG Jeromey Clary
If you ignore all that talk of moving to Los Angeles, the San Diego Chargers have quietly had a quality offseason.
Most of the losses were bit players or those well past their prime, and many of the newcomers should be improvements on the roster.
Take Ryan Mathews, for example. The sixth-year running back signed with Philadelphia, paving the way for rookie Melvin Gordon with the No. 15 overall pick. It's pretty clear that's an upgrade.
The same can be said for Orlando Franklin over Jeromey Clary at guard and Patrick Robinson over Shareece Wright at cornerback.
San Francisco 49ers
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Key Additions: WR Torrey Smith, DL Darnell Dockett, LB Philip Wheeler, CB Shareece Wright, OL Erik Pears, DL Arik Armstead (R), S Jaquiski Tartt (R), OLB Eli Harold (R)
Key Losses: ILB Patrick Willis, DE Justin Smith, ILB Chris Borland, OG Mike Iupati, RB Frank Gore, DL Ray McDonald, LB Dan Skuta, CB Chris Culliver, WR Michael Crabtree, CB Perrish Cox
San Francisco's deep drafts of the past few years are going to be tested in a big way this season.
The 49ers had a brutal offseason, losing nine starters—mostly good ones on defense—including star linebacker Patrick Willis and his potential replacement, Chris Borland. Combined with head coach Jim Harbaugh's messy divorce with the team, San Francisco could be in for a rough season in a tough NFC West.
Hopefully youngsters like outside linebacker Tank Carradine, running back Carlos Hyde, defensive back Jimmie Ward and offensive guard Brandon Thomas will be able to pick up the slack. It won't all fall on young talent from past drafts, however.
Torrey Smith flew in from the Ravens, addressing an ongoing major need for the 49ers. He replaces the disappointing Michael Crabtree, who struggled to find work before latching on with the team from across the bay.
Then there is this year's draft class, which should have an opportunity to contribute right away given the roster attrition.
Seattle Seahawks
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Key Additions: CB Cary Williams, TE Jimmy Graham, CB Will Blackmon, DL Ahtyba Rubin, DE Frank Clark (R), WR Tyler Lockett (R), OT Terry Poole (R)
Key Losses: CB Byron Maxwell, C Max Unger, OLB Malcolm Smith, OG James Carpenter, S Jeron Johnson, TE Zach Miller
A blockbuster trade brought quarterback Russell Wilson a bona fide weapon. Tight end Jimmy Graham is in town, ready to terrorize opposing defenses.
That alone should do wonders for an offense that was already pretty efficient.
The Seahawks did themselves no public relations favors by taking Frank Clark with their first pick of the draft, however. The embattled Michigan product was accused of domestic violence and later pleaded guilty to lesser charges of disorderly conduct, per MLive.com's Nick Baumgardner.
Seattle's farcical due diligence, per Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times—made matters worse.
As for on-the-field performance, however, it doesn't look like Seattle will lose much, if anything, from consecutive Super Bowl runs, assuming everyone can stay healthy. Byron Maxwell was a loss on defense, but only if too-expensive Cary Williams and Will Blackmon can't replicate his contribution.
St. Louis Rams
29 of 32
Key Additions: QB Nick Foles, DT Nick Fairley, DE/OLB Akeem Ayers, OL Garret Reynolds, QB Case Keenum, RB Todd Gurley (R), OT Rob Havenstein (R), OG Jamon Brown (R), QB Sean Mannion (R)
Key Losses: DL Kendall Langford, QB Sam Bradford, OT Joe Barksdale, RB Zac Stacy, OT Mike Person, C Scott Wells, OT Jake Long, QB Shaun Hill
Is Nick Foles the quarterback of the future in St. Louis? At least, the question is whether he is any more so than Sam Bradford was.
We'll have our answer sooner rather than later now that Foles has taken over for his departed predecessor after that blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. If the rest of the offseason was any indication, however, the Rams plan to keep the game out of Foles' hands whenever possible.
How else can we explain St. Louis taking a running back—albeit a talented one—coming off a torn ACL with the No. 10 overall pick? He'll be paired with Tre Mason, who looked pretty good as a rookie last season.
More importantly, that defense—particularly along the line—is stacked. Adding defensive tackle Nick Fairley to the bunch just made it plain unfair.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
30 of 32
Key Additions: DT Henry Melton, CB Sterling Moore, LB Bruce Carter, FS Chris Conte, SS D.J. Swearinger, DE George Johnson, QB Jameis Winston (R), OT Donovan Smith (R), OG Ali Marpet (R)
Key Losses: DE Michael Johnson, LB Mason Foster, S Dashon Goldson, OT Anthony Collins, QB Josh McCown
A year after spending big in free agency, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit the reset button.
Gone are high-priced busts Michael Johnson and Anthony Collins. The former had no direct replacement in free agency or the draft, but Collins got the boot in favor of rookie Donovan Smith, who would be drafted in the second round.
The Buccaneers tried to upgrade the safety position, too, but Chris Conte and D.J. Swearinger could be the worst pair at the position if they both wind up starting. Conte was awful with the Chicago Bears in recent years, and there is a reason Swearinger was cut after just two seasons with the Houston Texans.
Offensively, however, no team improved more than the Buccaneers this offseason. That's because they exercised the No. 1 draft pick to select Jameis Winston, who should be light years better than anything Tampa Bay has thrown out there since before Josh Freeman imploded.
Tennessee Titans
31 of 32
Key Additions: OLB Brian Orakpo, S Da'Norris Searcy, TE Anthony Fasano, CB Perrish Cox, WR Harry Douglas, QB Marcus Mariota (R), WR Dorial Green-Beckham (R), OT Jeremiah Poutasi (R), RB David Cobb (R)
Key Losses: OT Michael Roos, OLB Kamerion Wimbley, SS Bernard Pollard, WR Nate Washington, QB Jake Locker, OT Michael Oher, OLB Dontay Moch
Titans brass is on the clock. General manager Ruston Webster and head coach Ken Whisenhunt had better deliver.
Tennessee certainly made an effort to overhaul major positions of need, most notably at the most important one of them all—quarterback.
After months of rumors and myths, Tennessee rolled with Marcus Mariota at No. 2 overall, putting the dark days of the Jake Locker era behind them. At the very least, Mariota represents a tangible upgrade, even as a rookie. At best, he could become Russell Wilson 2.0.
Washington
32 of 32
Key Additions: DT Terrance Knighton, S Dashon Goldson, DL Stephen Paea, CB Chris Culliver, DE Ricky Jean-Francois, S Jeron Johnson, OL Brandon Scherff (R), OLB Preston Smith (R), RB Matt Jones (R), WR Jamison Crowder (R)
Key Losses: OLB Brian Orakpo, RB Roy Helu, S Ryan Clark, DL Stephen Bowen, DT Barry Cofield
Washington spent the offseason trying to address the trenches, and new general manager Scot McCloughan did a nice job in his first year back on the job.
Defensive linemen Terrance Knighton, Stephen Paea and Ricky Jean-Francois add a lot of quality beef up front on the defensive side, and Brandon Scherff was a fine selection at No. 5, though he projected better at guard than tackle—where he'll likely play in 2015—according to many analysts.
A tepid pass rush didn't get much attention, however—Preston Smith was drafted to replace oft-injured Brian Orakpo, but the rookie out of Mississippi State might need a bit of development before he becomes a real force.
All contract details courtesy of Spotrac.com.
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