Every NFL Team's Smartest Free-Agency Decision so Far
Now that we are nearly a week into the official start of NFL free agency, it's a good time to look at all the transactions and assign one in particular to every team as an example of their finest work.
For a lot of teams, it's simply signing someone. For others, it could be trading for someone. But for those select few slackers who really haven't done much of anything, it could be cutting someone loose or letting someone walk.
The 160 signings and the contract total equating to nearly $1.9 billion—yeah, billion—so there is plenty of material to work with.
There have been definite winners in free agency and there have been definite losers, but at the end of the day, every time finds one move to help improve their football team even if this time of year tries to cripple them.
Starting in alphabetical order, we'll check in with the Arizona Cardinals—a team that has been fairly quiet in free agency this season.
Arizona Cardinals: Extending LB Chandler Jones
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The Arizona Cardinals haven't done much this offseason, but it has been highlighted by the team extending linebacker Chandler Jones.
After coming over from the New England Patriots last season, Jones had probably the best season of his career, posting 12 sacks, 10 quarterback hits and 44 quarterback hurries.
It doesn't take much explanation when it comes to describing how dominant Jones is.
Hopefully Cardinals fans are able to look past the lack of action in free agency and can be happy knowing one of the best outside linebackers in the game is stuck with the team for another five years while being paid $82.5 million.
Atlanta Falcons: Signing DE Jack Crawford
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Like the Arizona Cardinals, the Atlanta Falcons haven't done a whole lot of anything this offseason.
Coming off a Super Bowl appearance, the Falcons were said to be progressing on talks with cornerback Desmond Trufant about a long-term extension, but that hasn't happened yet.
Looking at the signings the team has made, though, the most notable is the signing of former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford, who signed a three-year, $10.3 million deal with the team.
Although Crawford graded out as the fourth-worst 4-3 defensive end, according to Pro Football Focus, he did have four sacks and offers some versatility on the defensive line, where he can play at the end or inside when necessary.
Crawford is nothing more than a situational pass-rusher, but that is never an asset you can have too many of.
A solid pickup by the Falcons as they continue to work toward making Super Bowl 52.
Baltimore Ravens: Signing SS Tony Jefferson
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Earlier this week I wrote about how the signing of safety Tony Jefferson by the Baltimore Ravens was the best move all offseason, and I haven't changed my mind.
Coming over from the Arizona Cardinals, Jefferson can do it all—he can tackle, he can stop the run, he can contain potential big plays, and he can also rush the passer.
As mentioned in the past piece, Jefferson needs to improve on a bit on his coverage skills. If he is able to do so well enough, this will allow fellow safety Eric Weddle to peruse the field and concentrate on making plays in similar fashion to former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu toward the end of his career.
Hands-down—the best move of the offseason.
Good job, Baltimore—this secondary is shaping up to be fierce.
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Buffalo Bills: Restructuring QB Tyrod Taylor
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Heading into free agency, it was talked about that the Buffalo Bills were going to part ways with quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
The rumbling left many questioning why the Bills would do this, as Taylor presented the best quarterback option for the Bills for (at the very least) 2017.
Well, the Bills smartened up and restructure Taylor's deal, signing him to a new two-year, $30.5 million deal.
While Taylor may have his flaws, his ability to not turn the ball over, escape the pocket and run when needed to makes him a quarterback you can absolutely win with.
After this season, maybe the Bills will explore locking up Taylor on a more legitimate long-term deal and not allow this to turn into a situation similar to Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Carolina Panthers: Signing DE Julius Peppers
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The Carolina Panthers did a nice job extending defensive linemen Mario Addison and Wes Horton, but the smartest move they made was bringing back an old friend in defensive end Julius Peppers.
After beginning his career with the Panthers, Peppers, 37, spent time with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers.
In 2016 with the Packers, Peppers may have only played in 58.1 percent of the team snaps, but he still managed to rack up nine sacks—nine.
After trading Kony Ealy to the New England Patriots, the Panthers needed another pass-rusher and they got it in Peppers.
Even at his advanced age, his one-year, $3.5 million contract will pay for itself.
A great contract for an old friend who will still be able to produce.
Chicago Bears: Signing SS Quintin Demps
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After missing a few games during the 2016 season due to hamstring and calf injuries, former Houston Texans safety Quintin Demps put together a heck of a season, grading out as a top-12 safety in the NFL, according to PFF.
Demps excelled in both coverage and against the run.
Heading to the Bears on a three-year, $13.5 million deal, Demps was a spectacular way to improve a less than stellar secondary that had a total of eight interceptions as a team in 2016.
Remember: Demps had six all on his own last season.
The Bears have made quite a few signings this offseason, including improvements to the secondary in cornerbacks Marcus Cooper and Prince Amukamara, but adding Demps is a big step in improving a secondary that has been one of the worst for what seems like forever.
Cincinnati Bengals: Re-Signing CB Dre Kirkpatrick
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The Cincinnati Bengals have probably had the worst offseason of any team.
After losing two starters on the offensive line in Andrew Whitworth and Kevin Zeitler, the Bengals were fortunate enough to hold on to cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick with a five-year, $52.5 million contract.
A starter alongside fellow cornerback Adam Jones in 2016, Kirkpatrick will resume that role after a somewhat up-and-down season.
Finishing with three interceptions, Kirkpatrick finish as PFF's 66th-best cornerback (among 120 qualified), making him an average cornerback last season.
Kirkpatrick did have his fair share of quality games, though, notably against the New York Giants in Week 10, when he was targeted eight times, allowed four catches for a total of 17 yards and secured one of his three interceptions. Notably, Kirkpatrick held Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to just two catches for 12 yards.
After five seasons in the league, we'll see what 2017 has in store for Kirkpatrick—hopefully he can take the next step.
Cleveland Browns: The Brock Osweiler Trade
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The 2017 offseason will go down in history as the first "salary dump/pay for a draft pick" trade ever.
Yes, the Cleveland Browns have made plenty of awesome transactions this offseason—signing offensive linemen J.C. Tretter and Kevin Zeitler and extending offensive lineman Joel Bitonio—but pulling off a trade in which the Browns received a second-round draft pick, quarterback Brock Osweiler and a sixth-round draft pick in exchange for a fourth-round pick.
The caveat? The Browns had to absorb Osweiler's ridiculous $16 million cap hit.
On the surface that may look questionable, but the Browns had over $100 million in cap space at one point this offseason, so they used their available resources to stock up more draft picks ahead of the upcoming draft. They could parlay them into a potential trade for New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
This trade could end up being even better for the Browns if they can successfully trade Osweiler for more mid-round picks.
This was one of the best trades I've ever seen.
Dallas Cowboys: Signing DL Stephen Paea
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After an incredible season led by rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, the Dallas Cowboys found themselves in cap hell once again.
With many unrestricted free agents looming, the Cowboys lost their fair share of them, highlighted by safety Barry Church.
While they may not have had a ton of money to spend, the Cowboys made the most of their resources when they signed former Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and Washington Redskins defensive lineman Stephen Paea to a one-year, $2 million deal.
After losing defensive linemen Terrell McClain and Jack Crawford, the Cowboys needed to find some kind of replacement.
A situational, run-stuffing, aggressive, 1-technique player, Paea will serve as a quality replacement to McClain.
Given their cap situation, this was a nice under-the-radar signing by the Cowboys.
Denver Broncos: Signing OG Ronald Leary
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Finishing the 2016 season as PFF's 18th overall offensive guard, new Denver Broncos offensive lineman Ronald Leary is already their best offensive lineman.
In 2016, the Broncos ranked 11th in run-blocking but were inside the bottom five in pass blocking.
Coincidentally, the move could assist the Broncos if they were to pursue current-but-soon-to-be-released Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, as Leary and Romo have been teammates since Leary's rookie season in 2012.
As of now, the Broncos offensive line is shaping up to include Donald Stephenson and Menelik Watson at tackle, Leary and Max Garcia at guard and Matt Paradis at center.
This offensive line can only improve given their struggles last season, but Leary will be an excellent protector of whoever the Broncos throw out there at quarterback in 2017.
Detroit Lions: Signing OT Ricky Wagner
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After a long time of having a weak right side of their offensive line, the Detroit Lions signed the hottest right tackle free agent on the market in former Baltimore Raven Ricky Wagner.
Wagner, 27, was given a five-year $47.5 million deal after posting the ninth-best season among all right tackles, where he was known mostly for his pass protection—something the Lions definitely need.
Looking at his pass-protection prowess, Wagner was the ninth overall tackle in that department, per PFF.
After losing offensive tackle Riley Reiff and guard Larry Warford, the Lions needed to address the offensive line and find a way to avoid quarterback Matthew Stafford from being sacked 37 more times in 2017.
The Lions offensive line is set to feature Wagner and Taylor Decker at tackle, newly signed T.J. Lang and Graham Glasgow at guard and Travis Swanson at center.
Seeing Stafford with a solid offensive line could mean a much more successful season for the Lions—keeping Stafford upright is key.
Green Bay Packers: Signing TE Martellus Bennett
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As most of you may know, the Green Bay Packers and general manager Ted Thompson do not like to sign unrestricted free agents.
After losing guys like T.J. Lang, J.C. Tretter and with tight end Jared Cook set to leave the team, the Packers did need to address their offense.
In 2016, quarterback Aaron Rodgers had little help from his weapons as wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb had trouble creating separation, causing Rodgers to throw into tight windows and making something almost out of nothing—plenty of broken plays and hail mary's.
The Packers made a huge splash when they signed former New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett to a three-year, $21 million deal.
Bennett has the ability to do everything you want out of a receiver and will definitely help Rodgers as well as the Packers wide receivers since opposing defenses will need to respect Bennett's ability and might need to move those safeties up a bit.
If Nelson and Cobb can rebound, an offense featuring Rodgers, Nelson, Cobb, Bennett and Ty Montgomery at running back looks like one of the best offensive units (on paper) in the league.
Houston Texans: The Brock Osweiler Trade
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I know, I know, we already talked about this, but this was one of those trades that helped both teams involved.
For the Browns, they received a couple of picks in exchange for taking on a horrendous contract that they can handle.
And for the Texans, they shed an impending $16 million cap hit—something they definitely needed to do.
The move also allows the Texans to pursue other free agents like Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo when he becomes available.
Also, the Texans are said to be involved with New England Patriots cornerback and restricted free agent Malcolm Butler, according to Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports, and would be willing to trade a second-round pick.
Neither of these moves would be as easy to pull off without the alleviation of Osweiler's contract.
It may have come at a price for the Texans, but it's not often you are able to shed Osweiler's kind of salary, especially when you consider how terrible he played in 2016.
Indianapolis Colts: Signing DE Jabaal Sheard
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In 2016, the Indianapolis Colts finished the year with 33 total sacks, tied for 19th in the league.
Though this figure isn't horrible, it could definitely be improved upon.
The Colts seemed to recognize that when they gave former New England Patriots defensive end Jabaal Sheard a three-year, $25.5 million contract.
Coming off a six-sack season (and 14 over the past two seasons), Sheard ended up as PFF's 12th-best 4-3 defensive end (including the playoffs).
Coming from a 4-3 defense and joining the Colts who run a 3-4, Sheard should take over the position Erik Walden held previously (strongside linebacker), with Arthur Jones, David Parry and Kendall Langford set to be on the defensive line.
Sheard joins linebacker John Simon and fellow Patriots teammate Barkevious Mingo as the Colts' most notable defensive free-agent signings this offseason, but Sheard is already the Colts' best defensive player.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Signing CB A.J. Bouye
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Every offseason, the Jaguars find themselves in the precarious position of signing top-level talent.
In 2016, it was headlined by defensive lineman Malik Jackson.
And in 2017 the Jaguars snagged defensive lineman Calais Campbell as well as their top add, cornerback A.J. Bouye.
Set to be paired with second-year cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the Jaguars signed Bouye to a five-year, $67.5 million deal with $26 million guaranteed.
The guaranteed dollars are noteworthy as, heading into free agency, Bouye was looked at as a guy who only did it one year.
While that may be true again, the guaranteed dollars equate to $5.2 million a season should Bouye flounder. Otherwise, the Jaguars will have no problem paying him the full amount of his deal if he can play up to his 2016 level.
Including the postseason, Bouye held opposing receivers to just a 51.1 percent catch rate—one of only three other cornerbacks (minimum 800 snaps) to do so.
While he may have only had three interceptions, Bouye ranked fourth in the NFL in passes defended at 13.
On paper, the Jaguars finally have a defense that is comprised of 11 solid players at all 11 positions. Will this translate into success in 2017? We'll find out as Bouye is set to be a large part of their season.
Kansas City Chiefs: Releasing RB Jamaal Charles
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The Kansas City Chiefs have made essentially no moves this offseason in terms of signing available free agents due in large part that they had pretty close to zero cap room.
They did, however, finally cut ties with running back Jamaal Charles, which saved them from a nearly $6.2 million cap hit in 2017.
After his past few seasons were marred by injury, the Chiefs needed to cut ties with their longtime running back.
Releasing Charles not only saved some money, but it was symbolic of the Chiefs finally moving on and handing the reins over undisputedly to Spencer Ware.
Let's see what the Chiefs can pull off as free agency wears on.
Los Angeles Chargers: Big Cuts Before and During Free Agency
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Heading into free agency, the Los Angeles Chargers had almost no cap space.
However, they changed that when the team cut ties with cornerback Brandon Flowers, offensive guard D.J. Fluker, tackle King Dunlap and wide receiver Stevie Johnson.
Altogether the moves saved the team just over $24 million and allowed them to sign offensive tackle Russell Okung and move forward with more cap space flexibility.
Sometimes cutting players can be a tough but necessary move for business purposes.
Of course, there are always those who are not fans of cuts, like former Los Angeles (well, at the time San Diego) Chargers safety Eric Weddle, who took to Twitter to express his frustration over Dunlap being cut.
The Chargers may need to wait until the draft to address the offensive line.
Los Angeles Rams: Signing OT Andrew Whitworth
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There's no way around it—the Los Angeles Rams are not close to being a winning team, but they certainly found a way to help protect second-year and former No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff.
How did they? They signed veteran left tackle and former Cincinnati Bengal Andrew Whitworth to a three-year, $33.75 million deal.
Coming off a season in which Whitworth finished as PFF's third-best offensive tackle, the Rams found a surefire player to protect Goff as he progresses from his mediocre rookie season.
Adding Whitworth allows for Greg Robinson, the Rams' former No. 2 overall pick, to move to left guard, making the left side of the Rams offensive line a tough unit to combat with on game day.
Not only does this move help Whitworth and the Rams, but this also helps Robinson—a move to guard could salvage his career.
Again, the Rams have a long way to go, but adding Whitworth should provide a few years of stability at the second-most important position on the field.
Miami Dolphins: Re-Signing WR Kenny Stills
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Heading into free agency, it was thought that wide receiver Kenny Stills would be leaving the Miami Dolphins as he would command too much money and get it from another team.
Well, the Dolphins were able to bring back Stills on a four-year, $31.9 million deal with nearly $20 million in guarantees.
Coming off a season (including playoffs) in which Stills caught 47 passes on 80 targets for 808 yards and nine touchdowns, Stills is the best deep threat the Dolphins have.
Also, fellow wide receiver Jarvis Landry is entering a contract season.
If the Dolphins are unable to bring back Landry, they'll at least have a duo of Stills and DeVante Parker for quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the future.
It may be tough to repeat his nine-touchdown season in 2017, but Stills is still a valuable wide receiver to have as Tannehill and the Dolphins look to make it back to the playoffs—this time with Tannehill healthy.
Minnesota Vikings: Signing OT Riley Reiff
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It will never be forgotten: To start the 2016 season, the Minnesota Vikings were 5-0 but eventually plummeted after offensive line woes.
This offseason, the Vikings set out to make improvements to their offensive line.
Overall, they came up short, but they did reach an agreement with former Detroit Lions tackle Riley Reiff.
Coming off a brutal 2016 season in which he missed some time due to an illness and a hip injury, Reiff has a history of being a solid offensive tackle.
Reiff, 28, signed a five-year, $58.75 million deal with $26.3 million in guaranteed money, ranking eighth among all left tackles.
While Reiff had his issues in 2016, he should represent some stability on an offensive line that seemed to never have the same starting five week in, week out.
New England Patriots: Trading for WR Brandin Cooks
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Outside of the trade that sent quarterback Brock Osweiler from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns, the other big-name, headline-stealing trade was when the New England Patriots traded their first- and third-round draft picks to the New Orleans Saints for wide receiver Brandin Cooks and a fourth-round pick.
After losing tight end Martellus Bennett in free agency, the Patriots needed another pass-catcher and they filled that void with Cooks—an incredibly productive wide receiver.
With this move (along with the trade that sent a second-round pick to the Carolina Panthers for defensive end Kony Ealy), the Patriots do not have a first- or second-round pick for the upcoming draft.
However, they have two main trade assets in cornerback Malcolm Butler and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo that when one/both of them is traded, they will easily recoup this and more.
Joining a receiving unit consisting of Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell and tight end Rob Gronkowski, there are going to be quite the number of mouths to feed.
At age 40, Brady has to stop eventually (right?), and this move helps propel the greatest ever to embark on this journey for his sixth ring.
Great add by the Patriots.
New Orleans Saints: Trading WR Brandin Cooks
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Wait a minute. Didn't we literally just talk about this?
Yup, we did.
This was another trade that ended up helping both teams.
As you'll find in the last slide, all of the trade parameters were listed there, so I'll spare you the regurgitation.
Yes, the Saints lost arguably their most productive wide receiver they had. However, a group of Willie Snead, Michael Thomas and Brandon Coleman can easily handle the load.
Also, Cooks is in a contract season and the Saints realized it would be best to move him before he departed in free agency for nothing—he'd become too expensive and the market would outbid the Saints.
With Drew Brees entering the end of his tenure, the Patriots' first-round pick the Saints received could be valuable as they could spend it on a quarterback to sit behind Brees for the future and really let him mature and learn under Brees' wing.
As Matt Harmon of NFL Network points out, Cooks does have his flaws, but it's hard to look past the productivity.
For the Saints and Brees, they appear to just be a machine that can pump out stats ad lib.
Expect better stat lines out of Snead and possibly even Thomas in 2017 with Cooks gone.
Don't worry, Saints fans. This may sting now, but it's really going to be OK.
New York Giants: Signing WR Brandon Marshall
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Before the official start of free agency, the New York Giants inked former New York Jets wide receiver Brandon Marshall to a two-year, $11 million deal.
Let's get the elephant in the room out of the way: He's going to be part of a trio that includes Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard on the wide receiver depth chart.
Entering the twilight of his career, quarterback Eli Manning now has arguably the best wide receiver trio in the league.
Although Marshall turns 33 years old on March 23, he can still be one of the most productive wide receivers in the league.
2016 might have been a tough season for Marshall as he was hit with an injury in Week 2 and was on the Jets, but 2017 with Manning, Beckham and Shepard is shaping up to be quite the squad on offense to go along with a killer defense.
The Giants could make their way into the Super Bowl conversation if their defense plays like it did last season and if this offense lives up to what it is on paper.
New York Jets: Releasing WR Brandon Marshall, CB Darrelle Revis
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Going hand-in-hand with the Giants slide, the New York Jets made the smart decisions of parting ways with wide receiver Brandon Marshall and cornerback Darrelle Revis.
Combined, the moves saved the Jets nearly $17 million in cap space (Marshall saving $7.5 million; Revis saving $9.3 million).
Of course, Revis' release came in the wake of an incident in Pittsburgh in which he found himself faced with multiple felony charges that ultimately led to his departure. Furthermore, Revis was far from the same player we're used to seeing, so from a roster perspective, it's not like they lost a productive player.
For Marshall, it was a sign of the Jets understanding they are nowhere near competing, and it's time to once again rebuild.
Next up, we could see the Jets try to trade defensive linemen Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson, but for now, cutting ties with these two notable veterans are the best moves the Jets have made.
Oakland Raiders: Signing WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson
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Coming off a season filled with promise that was ultimately derailed by injuries to quarterback Derek Carr, the Oakland Raiders have been fairly quiet in free agency.
They lost out on offensive tackle Menelik Watson in a financial war with the Denver Broncos, and they have other free agents such as wide receiver Andre Holmes set to walk out the door.
The Raiders did, however, make one notable move and that was signing former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver/return man Cordarrelle Patterson on a one-year, $5.25 million deal.
The artist also known as C-Patt has had quite the interesting career.
Coming off a red-hot end to the 2013 season, Patterson had plenty of hype heading into 2014.
Well, that didn't work out as planned.
Fast-forward to 2016 and Patterson posted his career high in catches with 52.
What makes Patterson an intriguing add, though, is his kick-returning abilities. Since he entered the league in 2013, Patterson has had a kick return for a touchdown in every year except 2015 (where he barely played) and has five total—five.
On the wide receiver depth chart, he'll be well behind quite a few other players, but Patterson's return abilities, coupled with Carr's health, could lead to another great showing in 2017.
Philadelphia Eagles: Signing WR Alshon Jeffery
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When you sign arguably the top wide receiver out on the free-agency market, it's hard to not take notice.
Signed to a one-year, $14 million pact, the Philadelphia Eagles have brought in wide receiver Alshon Jeffery to go alongside incumbent wide receiver Jordan Matthews and fellow new arrival Torrey Smith.
When healthy and not suspended, Jeffery is one of the more prolific receivers in the entire NFL.
The last time Jeffery was able to put together a full season was in 2014. While that may not be the strongest endorsement, in that year Jeffery caught 85 passes on 135 targets for 1,133 yards and 10 scores.
However, over the last two seasons, Jeffery has played in just 21 games.
If Jeffery is able to remain on the field, a unit consisting of Smith, Matthews, Jeffery and tight end Zach Ertz should give second-year quarterback Carson Wentz plenty to work with as the Eagles look to make a playoff run.
They'll worry about Jeffery's one-year deal in the offseason.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Extending WR Antonio Brown
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Always one of the better teams in the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers had some glaring holes heading into this offseason, with the biggest being cornerback.
So far, the Steelers have been unsuccessful in corralling a single one.
Because of that and for the pure lack of signing really anyone, we're left with an in-house move that needed to be taken care of: extending wide receiver Antonio Brown.
What must I say about Brown? He's perhaps the best wide receiver in the league, and any amount of money you give him is worth it.
Signed to a monstrous four-year, $68 million deal, Steelers fans should rest easy knowing they have AB locked up for quite some time.
The lack of free-agent signings might be frustrating, but extending Brown and working toward a long-term extension with running back Le'Veon Bell are definite pluses.
San Francisco 49ers: Signing WR Pierre Garcon
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The main story surrounding the San Francisco 49ers this offseason has been their attempt to trade for Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins.
However, the team appears to be coming up short on that end and will have to wait until next offseason to sign him to a long-term deal.
If the 49ers were to have acquired Cousins, you'd be seeing that headline here, but instead we turn our focus to another great move—signin former Washington Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garcon to a five-year, $47.5 million deal with $20 million guaranteed.
Though that may come off as a hefty price tag for Garcon, the 49ers are in a position in which they may need to slightly overspend to get veterans to come to their program.
With that said, Garcon is no slouch.
In 2016, the touchdowns may not have been there (three), but he did catch 79 passes on 110 targets for 1,041 yards.
On the 49ers offense, he'll join fellow wide receivers Jeremy Kerley, Bruce Ellington and Marquise Goodwin, tight end Vance McDonald and running back Carlos Hyde.
The quarterback situation is much murkier than if Cousins were to walk through the front door instead of just Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley, but just wait until 2018—this 49ers team will have quite the little offense.
Garcon can play the role of a No. 1, but he's not a permanent one.
Upgrading the offense was a must, and the 49ers did that with Garcon.
Seattle Seahawks: Signing RB Eddie Lacy
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Phew, talk about saved by the bell!
The Seattle Seahawks had made essentially no moves, and I found myself pondering what I'd write about.
Then something happened.
According to running back Eddie Lacy's representation, Lacy has agreed to terms on a deal with the Seahawks.
The concern with Lacy's weight seemed to be something of note, though—the former Packer weighed in at 267 pounds during his meeting with the Seahawks, according to Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Joining a backfield that already consists of Thomas Rawls, Alex Collins, C.J. Prosise and Troymaine Pope, some might say this is already too crowded.
While I tend to agree, the upside of Lacy is just too high.
Yes, he has weight and conditioning problems, but we've seen what he is capable.
Signed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal with $3 million guaranteed, it wouldn't be overly brutal is the Hawks were forced to cut ties.
The move could also spell the end for Collins or Pope—we probably won't figure any of that out until the preseason, though.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Signing WR DeSean Jackson
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In my humble opinion, the best wide receiver out on the market this offseason was the man whom the Tampa Bay Buccaneers got—DeSean Jackson.
While Alshon Jeffery might have the size and what not, Jackson is still one of the more uncoverable receivers in the league.
Jackson, 30, managed to get himself a three-year, $33.5 million deal with $20 million guaranteed.
In adding Jackson, he'll now be paired with young wide receiving stud Mike Evans.
Not only does the move help the Bucs as a team and quarterback Jameis Winston, but finally—finally—Evans will have someone to take away double-teams as opposing defenses will need to respect Jackson and his game-changing speed.
Remember—the NFC South is a division rife with not-so-good cornerbacks. Jackson should dominate.
Winston's downfield passing struggles have been talked about a ton since the Jackson signing, but Jackson's ability to get open alone should help rectify those numbers.
An offense of Winston, Evans, Jackson, tight end Cameron Brate and running backs Doug Martin, Jacquizz Rodgers and Charles Sims? Yeah, I'll take that.
The Bucs are going to be a hell of a squad to watch in 2017.
Tennessee Titans: Signing CB Logan Ryan
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Unfortunately, they were not able to come up with any of those players.
They did, however, find themselves a new cornerback in former New England Patriot Logan Ryan.
Ryan, who's coming off back-to-back solid campaigns, is coming off a season in which he had two sacks and three interceptions.
Due to his success in 2016, Ryan was able to parlay his efforts into a shiny three-year, $30 million deal.
Paired with longtime Titans corner Jason McCourty, Ryan also joins a secondary that features the also newly signed safety Jonathan Cyprien and Da'Norris Searcy.
The Titans are set to have a formidable defense in 2017. Next up: getting more serious weapons for quarterback Marcus Mariota.
Can this be the year the Titans take over the AFC South?
Washington Redskins: Signing WR Terrelle Pryor
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After countless rumors surrounding the team potentially trading quarterback Kirk Cousins to the San Francisco 49ers, Cousins signed his franchise tag and is now expected to remain with the Redskins at nearly $24 million for the 2017 season—not bad.
The Redskins faced quite the mass exodus this offseason, though, that was headlined by losing their top two wide receivers in DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon.
After the Cleveland Browns signed wide receiver Kenny Britt, this left wide receiver Terrelle Pryor looking for a new home.
Well, that new home is Washington.
Signed to just a one-year, $8 million deal, Pryor gives Cousins a legitimate No. 1 option to help ease his burden of being in Washington another season.
With DJax and Garcon gone, it's looking like it will be a one-two punch of Pryor and second-year wide receiver Josh Doctson lined up outside and, of course, prolific tight end Jordan Reed.
Many critics may be spelling the end for Washington, but it's entirely possible that its offense is still one of the better units in the league.
If Pryor can turn in another career year, he should get paid big-time next offseason.
Statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and ESPN. Cap and contract figures courtesy of Spotrac and Over The Cap.
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