NFL Free Agents 2011: Who Is Having the Second-Best Offseason?

When assessing a team's offseason, the easiest thing to do is just look at what free agents they've added and make a snap judgement.  However, you also have to take a look at how the team has improved itself overall.

That means you have to consider everything the team has done since the end of last season.  Free agent additions are not the only thing to judge an offseason on.  You also account for coaching moves, the draft and trades as well.

I think we can all say to a certain degree of certainty that the Philadelphia Eagles had the best offseason in the league this year.  They added two excellent line coaches, hired a new defensive coordinator, had a solid draft, made a great trade (Kevin Kolb) and were the clear winner in the free-agent sweepstakes.

Unfortunately, since the Eagles basically gobbled everybody up, it didn't leave much for the other 31 teams, and the quality free agents left on the market were pretty well dispersed among them.

So, who would you say had the second-best offseason?

My vote goes to the San Francisco 49ers.

Here's why...

Hiring of Jim Harbaugh

The first, and perhaps what will end up being their best move, was hiring Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh.

In four years at Stanford, Harbaugh turned a dreadful team into the Orange Bowl champions last season.  His record in his last two years at Stanford was 19-6, and he had an overall college coaching record of 58-27.

He is highly regarded as an offensive guru and looks to restore a 49er tradition they haven't had since the Bill Walsh days.  Harbaugh was arguably the most sought-after coach this offseason, and the 49ers landed their man.

He is an excellent fit with what they want to do in the city by the bay.  I fully expect him to transform the 49ers into a contender, possibly even as soon as this season, given the weak NFC West division.

Draft Addition: DE/OLB Aldon Smith

In the first round of the NFL Draft, the team selected Missouri defensive end Aldon Smith.  He was drafted earlier in the first round than many pundits expected, but the 49ers had him eyed-up the whole time.

Though he'll be switching from a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end to a stand-up rusher, his potential is enormous. 

After getting used to his new role, he has the potential to be to the 49ers what DeMarcus Ware is to Dallas and Clay Matthews is to Green Bay.  It may take him a full season of getting experience under his belt, but this guy should ultimately be a player.

The 49ers needed an upgrade to their pass rush, and Smith fits the bill nicely.

Draft Addition: QB Colin Kaepernick

In the second round the 49ers selected their quarterback of the future in Colin Kaepernick.  Though he isn't expected to start this year, he has a lot of potential and great physical attributes.

Under the tutelage of Jim Harbaugh, Kaepernick should develop into starting material before very long.  They did the right thing in retaining Alex Smith for this season, as he will be the better player.

Look for the Kaepernick era to start in 2012, unless Smith either plays his way out of a job before the end of this season or plays his way into a long-term contract.

Under Harbaugh, Smith might actually start to realize his potential.  But if he doesn't, they'll have Kaepernick ready to step in.

Free Agent Addition: S Donte Whitner

To help solidify their defensive backfield, the 49ers signed arguably the top free-agent safety on the market in Donte Whitner.

Whitner is a very solid, if unspectacular player.  He hasn't accumulated the big plays throughout his career with Buffalo but has proven to be very reliable and is equally good against the run and pass. 

He comes in to replace the seemingly miscast Taylor Mays at strong safety and is a strong piece of an overhauled 49ers secondary.

Free Agent Addition: CB Carlos Rogers

The 49ers brought in Carlos Rogers to replace the faded Nate Clements at cornerback. 

The main knock against Rogers is that he doesn't have many INTs over his career (only eight in six years).  However, he is a decent cover man and will be an upgrade over Clements. 

By many accounts, he was the third-rated cornerback available on the open market.  At the age of 30, Rogers isn't the long-term answer at this position but certainly provides dependable play while underrated third-round pick Chris Culliver develops.

Free Agent Addition: C Jonathan Goodwin

To further fortify their offensive line, the 49ers signed Pro-Bowl center Jonathan Goodwin.

After a slow start to his career while backing up players like Kevin Mawae and Jeff Faine, once Goodwin finally got his chance to start, he took full advantage.

He proceeded to make the Pro Bowl in 2009 and was an alternate last season.  Goodwin joins an offensive line that already boasts talents such as Joe Staley, Anthony Davis (promising) and Mike Iupati.

Frank Gore and rookie Kendall Hunter will have some room to run this season.

Free Agent Addition: K David Akers

After the 49ers decided not to stick with troubled kicker Jeff Reed, they brought in the best one on the market in David Akers.

It was surprising to see a player like Akers become available, as he was a good player in Philadelphia and appeared to have plenty of leg left.  Did you catch his 59-yard field goal last week?

Having a reliable place kicker is important to every team because many times a game could come down to a big field goal attempt.  Akers made 32 out of 38 field goal attempts last season and brings with him an 82 percent career success rate.

Free Agent Addition: WR Braylon Edwards

Braylon Edwards, the former third-overall pick in the 2005 draft, has had an inconsistent and sometimes troubled career so far.

After a breakout season in 2007 when he recorded 80 receptions for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns, his production went downhill.  However, last season he appeared to be on the rise after joining the Jets and recording 53 receptions for 904 yards and seven touchdowns.

The wide receivers on the 49ers all have question marks next to their names but also have the potential to be extremely good.  Once he gets past his current legal troubles, Edwards will make for a nice addition to the 49ers passing game.

Conclusion

Although they lost nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin, the 49ers improved their team this offseason.  The hiring of head coach Jim Harbaugh in and of itself was an excellent move by an organization that has been yearning for a return to glory.

They made key veteran additions to allow them to compete right away but also kept an eye towards the future.

There were a few other teams I could have argued for second place in the offseason improvement race—The Patriots, Panthers, Texans and Cardinals all either kept or added key players.

But taking everything into consideration, the 49ers are the clear choice to me.