The Best and Worst NFL Offseason Additions Through Week 7

We are almost halfway home when it comes to NFL 2015. So we thought we would take a look back instead of forward and reminisce about the numerous transactions made this offseason.

For the record, we thought eight was enough when it came to both the best and the worst. So in no particular order, with the exception of alternating the good and the bad, we look at the top and the bottom when it comes to this year’s player movement.

Sorry, no rookies were named in the making of this piece. We are sticking with veteran moves via free agency and/or trades. And we will be keeping our reasoning short and sweet.

Just in case you’re wondering, we kept New England Patriots running back Dion Lewis off this list due to the fact that he signed a reserve/future contract, per Mike Wilkening’s work on Pro Football Talk, with the team on December 31, 2014. We are just making that clear, although no one is diminishing his impressive performance in his first season in Foxborough.

Half of the players on this list would love to be in his cleats.

Best: CB Darrelle Revis, New York Jets

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We are well aware of the fact that the New York Jets defense was expertly dissected by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady last Sunday.

But that hardly takes away from the fact that cornerback Darrelle Revis, who is back with the Jets after one-year stints in Tampa and Foxborough, has helped make the 2015 version of the Green and White a viable playoff contender.

Perhaps this set of numbers show best what the perennial Pro Bowler has contributed. New York has totaled 15 takeaways during the club’s 4-2 start, forcing more turnovers than the club managed all of last season (13).

And this was a team that a year ago allowed 31 scores through the air while picking off only six passes. In six outings this year, the Jets have allowed eight touchdown passes and have totaled an equal amount of interceptions.

Veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall, obtained in an offseason trade from the Chicago Bears, has been solid as well. But Revis Island is alive and well, and he's making a big impact with his original team this season.

Worst: QB Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles

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This just in: We will be spending a lot of time talking about the Philadelphia Eagles in this piece.

This offseason, the Birds and St. Louis Rams basically swapped starting quarterbacks, both of whom missed significant playing time in 2014. In the case of Sam Bradford, that actually meant the entire season (Nick Foles missed the final eight games with a broken collarbone).

Actually, Bradford also missed the final nine games of 2013 with a knee injury. So when the NFL’s first overall pick in 2010 took the field in Week 1 for Chip Kelly’s team, he had been absent for 25 straight contests.

The knock on Bradford had never been talent, but availability. When on the field, he performed efficiently. But that’s not been the case to date for the Eagles. A 3-4 start by the club has seen the oft-injured signal-caller throw nine touchdown passes compared to 10 interceptions. Bradford has been sacked 13 times in seven games and has fumbled four times, losing one of those bobbles.

It's not the start the Eagles were expecting, especially with Kelly’s seal of approval.

Best: RB Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

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In 2008, then-Tennessee Titans rookie running back Chris Johnson helped lead his team to a league-best 13-3 record and the top seed in the AFC playoffs that season.

One year later, he led the league with 2,006 yards rushing and remains one of only seven players in NFL annals to reach the 2,000-yard mark on the ground in a single season.

After he had six productive seasons in Nashville, the Titans parted ways with Johnson, who opted to sign with the New York Jets. He ran for 663 yards in 16 games in the team’s backfield by committee last year. This offseason, the Jets did not pick up the option on his contract, so he hit the free-agent market.

And it wasn’t until late in the process that Johnson latched on with the Arizona Cardinals. The results have been stunning, and Johnson looks like a big-play performer once again. Seven games (with five starts) have added up to 567 yards rushing—second in the league behind only Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman (621). Since being inserted in the starting lineup in Week 2, Johnson has run for 100-plus yards in three of the team’s last five games.

"He's still got it, I'll tell you that," said Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer to Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. "Defenses notice it. Every defense that we line up against knows when he's in the backfield and when he's not."

For a while, Johnson looked like he might not be a part of any NFL offense in 2015. But he's been quite the addition for the first-place Cardinals.

Worst: NT Vince Wilfork, Houston Texans

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One year ago, the Houston Texans led the NFL with 34 takeaways, and their defense was ranked 16th in the league in total yards allowed. The addition of nose tackle Vince Wilfork, who spent 11 seasons with the New England Patriots, was supposed to help a unit that finished 10th in the NFL in run defense.

Unfortunately, the best way to describe Wilfork’s play this season to date has been erratic, per the fine folks at Pro Football Focus. And that’s simply not good enough for a team that was expected to field one of the better defensive units in the league this season. The Texans are 23rd in the NFL in total yards allowed per game, while only five teams in the league have surrendered more yards per game on the ground.

Yes, playing nose tackle doesn’t usually amount to a lot of statistics. But eight tackles in seven games adds up to disappointment, no matter how you slice it.

Best: WR Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina Panthers

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The ninth overall pick in the 2007 draft by the Miami Dolphins, Ted Ginn Jr. has always been known more for his prowess as a kick returner than a wide receiver.

But just as was the case back in 2013, his first season with the Carolina Panthers, he has made an impression as a wide receiver. And the timing couldn’t be better for Ron Rivera’s team, which lost wideout Kelvin Benjamin for the season with a knee injury over the summer.

Enter Ginn, who ranks second on the Panthers with 18 catches, good for 283 yards and three touchdowns. Add in his 9.8-yard average on punt returns as well as a 43-yard run from scrimmage this season, and Ginn is making his mark in Carolina…again.

Worst: WR Andre Johnson, Indianapolis Colts

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The third overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft, wide receiver Andre Johnson enjoyed a magnificent career with the Houston Texans.

It’s been far from magnificent when it comes to the wideout’s days with the Indianapolis Colts, though. His first season with this other AFC South franchise has seen him catch just 20 passes for 207 yards and two scores. Both of those touchdowns came in the team’s Week 5 win at Houston and off the arm of backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

Will Johnson be able to establish a better rapport with starting quarterback Andrew Luck? Time will tell, but with the veteran receiver in the midst of his 13th season, time is not necessarily on his side.

Best: DE Greg Hardy, Dallas Cowboys

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We’ve only seen defensive end Greg Hardy play two games with the Dallas Cowboys. In his limited time on the field, he’s tied for the team lead with three sacks. Jason Garrett’s club has totaled just 13 sacks in six games, and the hope is that Hardy can regain his 2013 Pro Bowl form (then with the Carolina Panthers) by season’s end.

Dallas ranks sixth in the NFL in total yards allowed, and the defensive unit as a whole is much improved.

Hardy’s impact on the field, albeit brief, can hardly be overlooked. Then again…

Worst: DE Greg Hardy, Dallas Cowboys

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We just wanted to see if you were paying attention.

Obviously, you were. Given the off-the-field antics by Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy since he served his four-game suspension by the NFL earlier this year, you have to question his common sense.

Yes, the “guns blazin'” comment made by the talented performer three weeks ago was blown a bit out of context and was in essence harmless. But the decision by Hardy to interject Tom Brady’s wife Giselle into the conversation was ill-advised, to say the least—regardless of the comment.

Now look back at last Sunday’s “discussion” on the sidelines, as documented by Chris Chase of USA Today, and you have to question Hardy’s mindset and self-awareness.

And given the recent comments by Cowboys’ president/owner/general manager Jerry Jones regarding his offseason addition, per Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram, this one is a head-scratcher.

Best: RB Ryan Mathews, Philadelphia Eagles

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Yes, the 2014 NFL rushing champion has gotten off to a slow start in Philadelphia. But one-time Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray appears to be on the rebound these days and is looking much better as of late.

But let’s not forget the Eagles also signed Ryan Mathews away from the San Diego Chargers this season, and he deserves some credit. He leads Philadelphia with 342 yards rushing and three touchdowns (338 yards in his last five games) and has also hauled in 12 passes for 97 yards and a score. He’s been a steady pickup and, more importantly, has stayed healthy this season.

Worst: PK Josh Scobee, Pittsburgh Steelers

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You could make the argument that the 2015 Pittsburgh Steelers have had more kickers than the fabled Rockettes.

The latter have already had a better year. Veteran Shaun Suisham was injured during the preseason, as was eventual replacement Garrett Hartley.

So team general manager Kevin Colbert orchestrated a trade to bring Josh Scobee to the Steel City. The all-time leading scorer in Jacksonville Jaguars history was more than capable of getting the job done, and the change of scenery figured to be a positive.

Oops. Scobee’s brief four-game stint with the Steelers included one missed PAT and four missed field goals in 10 tries. He failed on a pair of key kicks in the team’s 23-20 overtime loss to the visiting Baltimore Ravens in Week 4 and was cut loose shortly afterward.

For Pittsburgh’s sake, it seemed to find a keeper in Chris Boswell, who hasn’t missed a kick since joining the team after Scobee’s release.

Best: G Richie Incognito, Buffalo Bills

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He was part of one the league’s more controversial issues just two years ago. But a revitalized Richie Incognito has been a huge positive for a Buffalo Bills team that remains an enigma at the moment.

He's one of the better run-blocking players at his position, per Pro Football Focus, and Rex Ryan’s unit is sixth in the NFL in rushing yards per game. One year ago, this same club finished 25th in the NFL in yards gained on the ground.

Incognito is not only the third-rated guard in the NFL at the moment, but he also ranks third in the league at his position when it comes to his run-blocking prowess. It’s been quite the comeback for a player who had his issues but has gotten a new lease on life in Orchard Park.

Worst: OLB Justin Durant, Atlanta Falcons

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Kudos to new Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn and the job he’s done with a team that won just six games in 2014.

Unfortunately, not all of the team’s offseason moves have panned out to date. The addition of outside linebacker Justin Durant has yet to pay off for the club, and Pro Football Focus has the numbers to prove it.

Yes, the Falcons rank 14th in the league in total defense in 2015, and only the New York Jets have allowed fewer yards per game rushing. But stopping the run has not been a forte for the well-traveled defender.

Durant’s play to date has been an overall disappointment despite the fact that he ranks third on the team with 35 total tackles. That’s not to say he won’t get better as the year wears on, but the overall performance has been shaky so far.

Best: WR James Jones, Green Bay Packers

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These days in the NFL, we have learned that you can go home again. And that has worked out well for both wide receiver James Jones and the Green Bay Packers.

A year ago, Jones led the Oakland Raiders in receptions. But that franchise went in a different direction, and he hit the open market. He eventually latched on with the New York Giants but didn’t make the final cut.

Meanwhile, the Packers lost wide receiver Jordy Nelson to a torn ACL during the preseason, and when it was all said and done, Jones wound up back with the team that he entered the league with in 2007. 

This season, Jones is tied for second on the team with 21 catches but has totaled a team-high 424 receiving yards (20.2 average) and has scored six touchdowns.

Worst: CB Brandon Browner, New Orleans Saints

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Let’s give credit where credit is due.

Along with fellow cornerback Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner was a key part of the New England defense last season and helped the club capture a Lombardi Trophy with a victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.

This offseason, the Pats opted not to pick up the option on Browner’s contract, and he became an unrestricted free agent. The defensively starved New Orleans Saints added the one-time Seattle Seahawk to their roster.

Pro Football Focus rates 176 cornerbacks, and you can find Browner at the very bottom of the list. His numbers on the season see him fourth on the Saints with 32 tackles and second on the club with six passes defensed. He also has one interception and one fumble recovery, as well as his share of penalties.

Best: OLB Pernell McPhee, Chicago Bears

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Just take a look at the Chicago Bears' last three games and compare them to the first three outings, and the team seems to be taking to new head coach John Fox.

It’s also apparent the franchise made a solid move by signing former Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee to aid the new-look 3-4 defense. It may surprise some to know the Bears are ranked 10th in total defense this season—not bad considering this franchise allowed the third-most yards in the league in both 2013 and 2014.

McPhee leads the Bears with four sacks in six games this season. He also ranks third on the club with 30 tackles and has one of the team’s three interceptions. McPhee grades out as one of the game’s top five outside linebackers in the 3-4 scheme.

It’s safe to say the Ravens could certainly use his help these days.

Worst: TE Owen Daniels, Denver Broncos

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It seemed like the perfect match when it came to player and coach. And it’s not like tight end Owen Daniels, who played for Gary Kubiak in both Houston and Baltimore, wasn’t a common-sense pickup for the Denver Broncos.

This season, the 10-year veteran has totaled 14 catches for a mere 85 yards and two scores. Last season with the Ravens, he ranked third on the club in catches (48), receiving yards (527) and touchdown grabs (four). 

Was Daniels an ill-advised addition by the Broncos, or is his play simply the result of the team’s offensive struggles and quarterback Peyton Manning’s slow start?

Perhaps it's a little of all three. Denver's offensive unit has produced only nine touchdowns in six games, and Manning has thrown for only seven scores to go along with 10 interceptions.

As for the rest of those questions, we may find out the answers this weekend when the undefeated Green Bay Packers invade the Mile High City to face Kubiak's 6-0 squad.

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