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Poll: Which NFL Team Won The Draft?

June 29th, 2018 at 11:21am CST by Zachary Links

Can you fairly evaluate a team’s draft haul before the rookies have even played their first NFL game? Well, no, not really. But we’re going to do it anyway because it’s a fun exercise.

Below, you’ll have the opportunity to select the team that you feel had the best overall draft. First, here are a handful of clubs you may want to consider:

Bears – The Bears addressed three serious needs with their top three picks. They began their draft by selecting inside linebacker Roquan Smith, who was viewed as one of the safest top talents in the draft despite his lack of ideal size for the position. They followed that up by taking Iowa’s James Daniels in the second round, a player with the ability to play all three spots on the interior offensive line. In the third round, they gave Mitchell Trubisky another weapon to work with in Memphis receiver Anthony Miller.

Broncos – Few could find fault with the Broncos’ first pick, defensive end Bradley Chubb. The hits kept on coming for GM John Elway & Co. as they added quality wide receivers Courtland Sutton (second round) and DaeSean Hamilton (fourth round) as well as bruising running back Royce Freeman (third round). The Broncos didn’t draft their quarterback of the future, but they picked up pieces that can contribute right away on both sides of the ball.

Bucs – With a draft class headlined by defensive tackle Vita Vea and running back Ronald Jones, Bucs fans have a lot to be excited about. It’s fair to question the wisdom of taking Vea after signing Beau Allen to a three-year, $15MM deal, but it’s hard to knock what they did here in total. The Bucs acquired two second round picks to move down from No. 7 to No. 12, where they selected the Polynesian phenom. The No. 53 pick from Buffalo became defensive back M.J. Stewart and they turned the No. 56 overall choice into a pair of worthwhile secondary players.

Giants – Your take on the Giants’ draft class may be swayed by your thoughts on taking a running back with the No. 2 overall pick. Still, it’s hard to find fault with Saquon Barkley‘s talent and none of this year’s top quarterbacks profile as slam dunks. At No. 34 overall, they selected guard Will Hernandez, who should help to open up running lanes for Barkley. With the next two picks, Dave Gettleman provided new defensive coordinator James Bettcher with front seven support by grabbing Lorenzo Carter and B.J. Hill. Not bad for Gettleman’s first draft as the Giants’ football czar.

Packers – The Packers also have a new GM at the helm who did a solid job in the draft. The Packers were in desperate need of help at cornerback and they landed two – Louisville’s Jaire Alexander and Iowa’s Josh Jackson – with their first two selections. There were other intriguing picks in the Packers’ 11-man draft class, including linebacker Oren Burks (third round) and a group of wide receivers (J’Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Equanimeous St. Brown) that could help fill the void left by Jordy Nelson‘s departure.

Patriots – This year, the Patriots made eight draft day trades, the most in franchise history. That’s not including all of their pre-draft maneuvering, either. Ultimately, they fortified next year’s crop of picks while also fortifying their roster for this year’s championship run. Instead of reaching for Tom Brady‘s heir, they used their late-first round draft picks on tackle Isaiah Wynn and running back Sony Michel. With those selections, the Pats eased the hurt of losing Nate Solder and Dion Lewis in free agency. There’s also a lot to like about slot corner Duke Dawson and sixth-round wide receiver Braxton Berrios has the potential to become an effective slot weapon for the Pats on offense.

If you need a refresher on this year’s draft, check out PFR’s complete list of picks by team. After that, you can cast your vote below and back up your choice in the comment section.

Poll: Which New Head Coach Will Experience Most 2018 Success?

June 28th, 2018 at 6:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Coaching staff turnover was abundant this offseason, but most of that change occurred at the assistant level: while there were 33 instances of alteration among offensive and defensive coordinators, only seven new head coaches will be leading teams in 2018, a number that fits in nicely with yearly averages. Naturally, these seven new HCs are taking over clubs that are in something of a rebuild phase, as the Titans are the only team that made the postseason in 2017 before opting to make a coaching change at the top.

With that in mind, we’d like to ask PFR readers which new head coach will experience the most success during the upcoming campaign? While we aren’t solely asking about record (the Bears could stage a turnaround in 2018 and still not make the playoffs given their starting point and the strength of the NFC North, for one example), we’re looking mostly at wins and losses.

Here’s a refresher on the NFL’s new head coaches:

In the NFC, Wilks will be not only tasked with re-forming a defense that’s moving from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme, but deciding if and when to insert rookie quarterback Josh Rosen over free agent acquisition Sam Bradford. Nagy, meanwhile, has the benefit of leaning on veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio on one side of the ball, but he’s installing an all-new offensive system with weapons such as Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony Miller, and Trey Burton. Patricia takes over a relatively stable roster in Detroit, but he’s looking up at the Packers and Vikings in the NFC North, while Shurmur will be asked to wring at least one more productive season out of 37-year-old signal-caller Eli Manning.

Moving to the AFC, Reich is the new lead man in Indianapolis after Josh McDaniels spurned the Colts; with a barren 53-man roster, Reich will need Andrew Luck at something close to full health. Gruden landed a $100MM contract to return to the NFL and Oakland, but after an offseason which saw the Raiders’ roster get older, it’s anyone’s guess if the Black and Silver can compete with Kansas City and Los Angeles in the AFC West. Vrabel takes over an already-contending Titans club after just one season as a defensive coordinator, but his addition of coordinators Matt LaFleur (offense) and Dean Pees (defense) drew considerable praise.

So, who do you like? Which of these coaches will post the most successful season in 2018?

Poll: Which Top 10 NFL Draft Pick Will Make Biggest Impact In 2018?

June 26th, 2018 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

This year’s NFL Draft was one of the most entertaining in recent memory and chock full of polarizing prospects. With no true consensus on this year’s top talent, we want to know which top ten pick you expect to make the biggest impact right out of the gate. 

Early on in the draft process, few expected Baker Mayfield to be in the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick. As it turns out, the Browns were laser-focused on the Oklahoma quarterback and took him first overall. We’ve heard nothing but praise for Mayfield’s competitive nature, but questions persist about his size. And, while many like Mayfield’s potential in the long run, he’s positioned behind Tyrod Taylor on the Browns’ depth chart.

Many football evaluators feel that Saquon Barkley is not only the best talent in this year’s crop, but also the safest. The Giants’ decision to use the No. 2 overall pick on a running back was not well received by everyone, but he profiles as a star at the next level with a prime opportunity to excel immediately. Barkley will anchor the Giants’ running game and should have room to run as opposing defenses account for an aerial attack led by Odell Beckham Jr.

The other tenants of MetLife Stadium also feel good about their top overall pick. Sam Darnold was the darling of the scouting world for years and few expected him to fall to No. 3 back in January. Darnold continues to draw rave reviews from camp, but he is still stationed behind Josh McCown – and maybe Teddy Bridgewater – on the depth chart. It’s possible that Darnold will wind up as the Jets’ starter at some point this year, but it’s also possible that he will not see the field in his rookie season.

Beyond the much ballyhooed top three, there are plenty of other quality bets in the top ten. New Broncos defensive end Bradley Chubb has the size and athleticism to excel right away, guard Quenton Nelson could help to fix the Colts’ porous offensive line, and Roquan Smith‘s top-end speed could make him a terror right off of the bat for the Bears. Alternatively, you may feel bullish about Denzel Ward‘s coverage ability, Josh Allen‘s cannon of an arm, Mike McGlinchey‘s pro-ready blocking technique, or Josh Rosen‘s potential to overtake a pair of veterans to become the Cardinals’ top QB.

Click here to cast your vote and defend your choice in the comments section below:

Poll: Which NFC East Team Had The Best Offseason?

June 25th, 2018 at 5:11pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Over the past couple weeks, we’ve asked you which teams from the AFC North, AFC East, AFC West, NFC West, and NFC North had the best offseasons. Today we’ll be looking at the offseason each team from the NFC East had, another division with a lot of moving parts.

The Redskins may have had the most tumultuous past couple months of any team in the division. Their years long drama with Kirk Cousins finally culminated in the team trading for Alex Smith and allowing Cousins to walk in free agency. Coach Jay Gruden has been adamant that there will be no downgrade from Cousins to Smith, and that the team is very high on Smith. Washington’s receiving corp will look quite different, with Terrelle Pryor and Ryan Grant gone, and Paul Richardson brought in from Seattle in their place. They added defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne with the 13th overall pick to help shore up their run defense and selected running back Derrius Guice in the second round. Guice was viewed by most as a first round talent who fell into the Redskins’ laps due to off-field concerns. They also signed cornerback Orlando Scandrick and linebacker Pernell McPhee in free agency, and will return several key players from injury, like defensive lineman Jonathan Allen. It was an offseason of change for the Redskins, and the team will have to hope Smith can carry over his play from last season when he was the best of his career.

The Giants’ 2017 season went off the rails fast. After a playoff appearance in 2016, the team started the year 0-4, which quickly led to infighting. Both head coach Ben McAdoo and GM Jerry Reese, replacing them with Pat Shurmur and Dave Gettleman respectively. The team ultimately passed on taking a successor to Eli Manning with the number two overall pick, instead taking running back Saquon Barkley and signing the veteran Jonathan Stewart to be his backup. The team made Nate Solder the highest paid tackle in football, signing him away from the Patriots to help bolster their offensive line, and area of weakness the past few seasons. They also drafted guard Will Hernandez 34th overall to help along the interior. While the team has announced they plan on riding Manning for the foreseeable future, they did take the intriguing small-school quarterback Kyle Lauletta in the draft. They traded Jason Pierre-Paul to the Buccaneers in March, leaving a hole at pass-rusher. Overall, the Giants 2018 season will depend on how much Manning can bounce back from his poor 2017. If Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. can both return to form, the Giants could sneak back into the playoffs.

The Cowboys didn’t add many major pieces this offseason. The biggest storyline surrounding the team was the release of Dez Bryant. The Cowboys were apparently fed up with Bryant’s antics and his on-field production no longer justified keeping him around. They signed Allen Hurns from the Jaguars to replace him and step in as their new number one receiver. Dak Prescott‘s receiving options will look a lot different next year as they also lost Jason Witten to retirement and Brice Butler in free agency. They drafted linebacker Leighton Vander Esch in the first round to strengthen the defense. Other than their pass-catchers, the 2018 Cowboys will look fairly similar to last year’s underachieving squad. They’ll have Ezekiel Elliott for the full season after he was suspended for part of last year, and will look to recapture the magic of their 13-3 2016 season.

The Eagles went into the offseason riding high off their Super Bowl victory. They lost several players, but moved quickly to replace them all. When defensive linemen Vinny Curry and Beau Allen left in free agency, they promptly traded for Michael Bennett and signed Haloti Ngata. They lost offensive coordinator Frank Reich who took the Colts’ head coaching job and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo who left to become the Vikings’ offensive coordinator. LeGarrette Blount left to sign with the Lions, but the Eagles have a deep running back depth chart still. The team rewarded Super Bowl hero Nick Foles with some extra incentives in his contract, although he still could possibly be dealt at a future point. They re-signed linebacker Nigel Bradham and added Corey Nelson and Paul Worrilow in free agency to further strengthen the linebacking corp. The biggest storyline for the defending champions this summer will continue to be the progress of Carson Wentz as he rehabs from a torn ACL. If Wentz is healthy, with all the pieces added to the defense this spring, the Eagles should be able to compete for another Super Bowl in 2018.

Poll: Which NFC North Team Had The Best Offseason?

June 24th, 2018 at 2:13pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Over the past couple weeks, we’ve asked you which teams from the AFC North, AFC East, AFC West, and NFC West had the best offseasons. Today we’ll be looking at the offseason each team from the NFC North had, another division that was quite active. 

The Vikings made the biggest splash in the entire league when they signed Kirk Cousins to the NFL’s first ever multi-year fully guaranteed deal for a quarterback. They let three of their quarterbacks from last year, Case Keenum, Teddy Bridgewater, and Sam Bradford walk in free agency. Their offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur left to be the head coach of the Giants and they replaced him with Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo. They signed a pair of players away from the division rival Bears, guard Tom Compton and receiver Kendall Wright, and added Pro Bowl defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson from the Seahawks. They lost running back Jerick McKinnon to the 49ers but will return Dalvin Cook who was lost to a torn ACL early last season. They added cornerback Mike Hughes from Central Florida with their first round pick. Overall, there was a lot of turnover from last year’s team that made the NFC Championship game, and the Vikings will be counting on a lot of new faces to help them get back there.

The Bears started their offseason off by firing John Fox, and hiring Matt Nagy to replace him. They looked to bolster last year’s woeful receiving corp by signing Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel in free agency. They also added tight end Trey Burton as another pass-catcher for Mitchell Trubisky. They used the eighth overall pick on Roquan Smith, the linebacker from Georgia. The team cut Mike Glennon after his short four-game tenure as the starting quarterback last year and signed Chase Daniel to be Trubisky’s new veteran mentor backup. The team retained defensive coordinator Vic Fangio after a lot of speculation about his potential departure and matched a large offer sheet that cornerback Kyle Fuller signed with the Packers. Overall, the offseason was all about offense for the Bears, from Nagy’s hiring to the signing of Robinson and Burton. Chicago is looking to set up Trubisky for as much success as possible in his second year, and tangible progress from him will be the most important thing for the team this season.

The Lions also changed coaches, firing Jim Caldwell and hiring Matt Patricia. Patricia, formerly the Patriots defensive coordinator, was a hot name in head coaching searches the past few seasons but no one was able to lure him away until finally Detroit did this spring. They didn’t make many major moves in free agency, but did sign a handful of defensive role players like defensive lineman Sylvester Williams and cornerback DeShawn Shead. They let their former first round pick, tight end Eric Ebron walk in free agency to the Colts. They also let defensive tackle Haloti Ngata sign with the Eagles. They took center Frank Ragnow from Arkansas in the first round of this year’s draft to strengthen the offensive line. They added running back Kerryon Johnson in the second round, who they hope will become the three-down back they’ve been lacking for many years. Overall, besides the coaching change it was a relatively quiet offseason for the Lions. They’ll look to stay the course and hope Matthew Stafford can carry the team to the playoffs yet again.

The Packers made some rare coaching changes. They didn’t retain longtime defensive coordinator Dom Capers and replaced him with Mike Pettine. They also fired offensive coordinator Edgar Bennett and quarterbacks coach Alex Van Pelt, who was reportedly close with Aaron Rodgers. They hired former Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin to be the new offensive coordinator. They cut former star receiver Jordy Nelson and signed defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, tight end Jimmy Graham, and cornerback Tramon Williams. They traded cornerback Damarious Randall to the Browns for quarterback DeShone Kizer, and drafted cornerback Jaire Alexander in the first round. The focus was clearly on addressing the defense, the team’s achilles heel in recent years, and particularly the secondary. Overall, it was an offseason of change, as the team said goodbye to several former staples. Aaron Rodgers will return from the injury that cost him most of the 2017 season, and will once again need to carry the load if the Packers 2018 season is going to be successful.

Which team do you think had the best offseason in the NFC North? Vote in PFR’s poll below and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

 

Poll: Who Is Patriots’ Biggest AFC Threat?

June 23rd, 2018 at 4:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Around a year ago, I asked readers who would be the biggest challenger to the Patriots’ AFC stranglehold. Seeing as they repeated as conference champions, this question seems pertinent again. And with more complications coming out of New England than there were a year ago, the Pats venturing to the Super Bowl may be more difficult this season than it was in 2017.

But who is best-equipped to end this run?

The Jaguars emerged after a decade of playoff absences to nearly stun the Patriots in Foxborough, and an argument can be made that had Myles Jack not been prematurely whistled down following his pivotal forced fumble, the upstart team would have represented the AFC in Super Bowl LII. How likely are the Jags to take the next step this season?

Their loaded defense mostly avoided injuries in 2017 and, after rumors the Jags would attempt to upgrade from Blake Bortles at quarterback this offseason vanished quickly, the franchise has the same issue at sports’ most important position. However, the reigning AFC South champions didn’t lose any cornerstone players from last season’s effort, one Allen Robinson was not healthy for, so it stands to reason they will be a factor again.

Pittsburgh may be the safest bet here, but the Steelers have run into persistent trouble in January. Though dealt tough blows in the form of Ryan Shazier‘s injury and Jesse James‘ pivotal touchdown being overturned against the Patriots last season, the Steelers’ balanced team disappointed in allowing 45 points in a divisional-round loss. Pittsburgh signed Morgan Burnett and Jon Bostic, and drafted athletic safety Terrell Edmunds in Round 1. However, have the Steelers done enough to improve defensively in time to capitalize on what could be the final year Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell are working together?

The AFC West could be as wide open as in any season since before Peyton Manning arrived in Denver, and it could feature multiple legitimate challengers for conference supremacy.

Las Vegas places the Chargers as the division’s favorite, despite the franchise having failed to make the playoffs in each of the past four years and all but one season in the 2010s. They also have by far the weakest home-field advantage in football. But, roster-wise, the Bolts boast a strong pass rush, added Mike Pouncey and selected a player whom many thought was the steal of the draft in Derwin James. Los Angeles’ similar offensive core, Hunter Henry‘s injury aside, should be a boon for the Philip Rivers-led attack to lead a breakthrough charge.

The Chiefs are on the heels of winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in franchise history, but they look quite different from their previous outfits. Kansas City traded both Alex Smith and Marcus Peters, the latter not having an obvious replacement like the former does. Although the Chiefs did add Sammy Watkins on a surprising contract to help out Patrick Mahomes, how ready will the 2017 first-rounder be to guide the team back to the playoffs in his debut campaign? Kansas City will have Eric Berry back, and the franchise added Anthony Hitchens and Xavier Williams to help the run defense before using nearly its entire draft to restock its weaker unit. But will a defense that ranked 30th in DVOA with Peters be competent enough now that the team’s high-floor quarterback is out of town?

Vegas also is bullish on the Texans, despite their four-win 2017, placing them among the frontrunners in what looks like the weaker of the two conferences. Deshaun Watson is looking to be ready for Week 1, and, as of now, J.J. Watt is on that path too. Houston strung together three straight nine-win seasons from 2014-16, with three different starting quarterbacks, and displayed considerable flash with Watson last season. But is it a bridge to far to ask the second-year quarterback to pilot the team to a legitimate Super Bowl perch?

The Titans made the playoffs, revamped their coaching staff and signed multiple Patriots cogs. They may be slightly overqualified for sleeper status. The Broncos made an attempt to pair their upper-echelon defense with a better quarterback in Case Keenum and saw Bradley Chubb fall to them at No. 5. They still employ many holdovers from Super Bowl 50, but is their window still open? Can Jon Gruden reinvigorate the recently well-regarded Raiders after a busy offseason? Does the AFC North or AFC East have a deep-sleeping candidate that could make a Jaguars-level leap?

Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Poll: Best Free Agent RB Remaining?

June 22nd, 2018 at 1:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Even as June winds down, there are a surprising number of quality running backs still available on the open market. The current free agent crop of backfield options includes some notable names, such as: 

Charles, Hightower, Vereen, and Murray were all on the Saints’ radar recently as they canvassed the free agent market for running back support. Ultimately, they signed Terrance West to help fill in during Mark Ingram‘s four-game suspension, leaving the other vets in limbo. While Charles, Hightower, and Vereen all showed their stuff for coach Sean Payton, Murray declined his invite, preferring not to participate in a giant cattle call.

When considering only past accomplishments, the names of Peterson, Charles, and Murray obviously stand out. But, unfortunately, father time is cruel to NFL running backs and these players are on the back nines of their careers, to put it mildly. Out of this trio, Murray has the best 2017 to show teams. Even though his job as the Titans’ top rusher was usurped by Derrick Henry, he had 39 catches for 266 yards and occasionally showed the powerful rushing that made him a force to be reckoned with in Dallas. Charles, he of several 1,000-yard seasons, had only 296 rushing yards in total and found himself at the bottom of Denver’s depth chart to close out the season. Peterson, meanwhile, forced his way out of New Orleans due to a lack of playing time and had only two performances of note in his run with the Cardinals.

Lacy signed with the Seahawks last year and hoped to put concerns about his health and conditioning to rest. Unfortunately, those questions persist after he averaged just 2.6 yards per carry in nine games. Lacy was a bulldozer in his early days with the Packers, but his last season of note came in 2015 when he averaged 4.1 yards per carry. Even then, ball security was a problem as he fumbled the ball four times.

Darkwa is back on the NFL radar after doctors cleared him to workout. Darkwa won’t win this poll on name value, but unlike everyone else on this list, he’s coming off of the best season of his career.The 26-year-old (did we mention that he’s also the youngest running back here?) ran for 751 yards off of 171 carries, good for a strong 4.4 yards per carry average. It was an ugly year for the Giants on the whole, but Darkwa excelled on a personal level.

Vereen, another ex-Giant, can’t say the same for his 2017 season. However, his second act with the Giants has been respectable on the whole. Acting as a secondary ball carrier, he has averaged 4.2 yards per carry over the last three seasons. He also showed that he can still be a worthwhile pass catcher out of the backfield with 44 grabs for 253 yards last season, though he averaged a career-low 5.8 yards per catch.

Last but not least is Morris, though you can be forgiven for forgetting about this three-time 1,000-yard rusher. Morris was a force to be reckoned with from 2012-2014, but he has been riding the pine for the Cowboys over the last two years. What you might not realize is that Morris was tremendous in a small sample last year as Ezekiel Elliott‘s early-season backup and later-season fill-in. Morris averaged 4.76 yards per carry off of 115 attempts, which makes one wonder why we haven’t heard his name mentioned in recent months.

Out of the running backs listed here, which player do you feel can contribute the most in 2018? Click below to cast your vote and defend your choice in the comments section.

Poll: Who Will End Offseason As NFL’s Highest-Paid Defender?

June 16th, 2018 at 2:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

The league’s seen a large number of standout players skip mandatory workouts this week, setting up an eventful stretch despite teams being on break between minicamps and training camps.

The star power from the 2014 draft is driving part of this spree of holdouts, and this summer figures to produce at least one mega-contract for a defender (and likely more). By the time this offseason concludes, the defensive contract landscape will look different. Who will be the league’s new standard-bearer here?

Von Miller‘s held that title for two years, since signing his six-year, $114.6MM extension at the 2016 franchise tag deadline. Multiple stars drafted in the 2014 first round are gunning for contracts that would surpass Miller’s.

Will it be Aaron Donald? Despite playing a position that has not been traditionally compensated as well as Miller’s, Ndamukong Suh‘s 2015 free agency windfall notwithstanding, Donald has been the league’s most dominant interior defender for a bit now. With quarterbacks’ release times steadily accelerating, defenders lined up closer to the ball have seen a change in compensation patterns. Defensive tackles like Fletcher Cox and Kawann Short are each paid more than $16MM annually, and Donald’s operated on a higher level than each during his four-year career.

Holding out for a second straight year, Donald is a key component to a Rams operation that’s taking a more aggressive approach to contention than it did last year. While no deal is imminent, talks will presumably heat up soon. Les Snead‘s already said a Donald resolution will need to involve an NFL-high defender contract, but will other defenders end up with a better deal?

Khalil Mack didn’t follow Donald’s lead and hold out last year, despite both being on the same timeline and the Raiders defensive end beating the Rams defensive tackle to the defensive player of the year throne. Now, Mack’s stayed away from the Raiders throughout the offseason. While the Raiders may be a tad behind the Rams on the preseason hype scale, Mack has been vital to their defense — a perennially shaky unit despite his dominance — and plays the game’s most valuable defensive role.

At 27, Mack is two years younger than Miller. And the cap is now $22MM higher than it was when the Broncos signed their edge-rushing phenom. It stands to reason Mack will sign a more lucrative deal. However, Derek Carr accepted less than market value at $25MM per year to help Oakland be in better position to keep its core together. With that contract on the books, and a situation the Rams do not have to navigate with Jared Goff just yet, will Mack end up just behind Donald in this pursuit? The Raiders also signed Carr in June of last year. Mack signing in June, to conclude a less contentious process than Donald’s, would open the door for Donald to come in and exceed whatever deal the Bay Area parties reach.

What about Jadeveon Clowney? Not as accomplished as the California-dwelling duo, the No. 1 pick in 2014 has become a star in his own right. And at 25, he’s two years younger than both. As injuries have sidetracked J.J. Watt‘s otherworldly career, Clowney’s become one of the league’s best players. The Texans have a history of authorizing this kind of contract — as they did with Watt’s six-year, $100MM pact in 2014 — and have a quarterback at least two years away from an extension.

While Watt’s maladies have clouded his future and made Clowney more indispensable in the process, might Houston be leery of paying league-record money to another injury-prone performer? Clowney is not holding out, but he did not participate in minicamp while recovering from another surgery.

So, which defender will assume Miller’s position? What will it take to finalize such a deal? Will this derby end with a $20MM- or $21MM-per-year contract? Is there a darkhorse player (perhaps the franchise-tagged Demarcus Lawrence?) that could swoop in here? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your view in the comments section!

Poll: Which AFC East Team Had The Best Offseason?

June 9th, 2018 at 3:09pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Over the past week, we’ve asked you which team had the best offseason from the AFC North, NFC West, and AFC West. Today we’ll take a look at the offseasons of teams from another active division, the AFC East.

The Jets started things off by making a bold move to acquire their quarterback of the future when they traded up to get the third overall pick from the Colts. They ended up selecting Sam Darnold, and also signed Teddy Bridgewater to complete their quarterback room that will return only Josh McCown from last year. They released Bryce Petty and traded Christian Hackenberg, giving up on both of their former draft picks. They signed cornerback Trumaine Johnson to a huge contract in free agency, and also picked up kicker Cairo Santos and running back Isaiah Crowell. They cut longtime headache defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson and signed Terrelle Pryor to bolster last year’s woeful receiving corp. They fired offensive coordinator John Morton and replaced him with Jeremy Bates. The Jets shocked everyone last year with how competitive they were able to be, and will look to build on that progress in 2018.

The Bills also had a bold draft strategy. They too traded up for their quarterback of the future, taking Josh Allen with the seventh overall pick. They took linebacker Tremaine Edmunds later in the first to be the quarterback of their defense. They lost guard Richie Incognito to retirement, and were mostly quiet in free agency aside from signing Star Lotulelei to a five-year deal. They did add A.J. McCarron to compete with Allen to be the starting quarterback, and fired offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, replacing him with Brian Daboll. The biggest move they made however, was trading their starting quarterback from the past three seasons, Tyrod Taylor, to the Browns. The Bills ended the longest active playoff drought in major professional sports this past season, and will look to build on that progress with a first-time starter under center in 2018.

The Patriots had a relatively quiet offseason in terms of transactions. They did trade wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Rams for a first round pick, but didn’t make many moves in free agency. The real story of the Patriots’ offseason was all the drama surrounding Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft, and Rob Gronkowski. They took two players from Georgia with their two first round picks, offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn and running back Sony Michel. The Patriots will return mostly the same roster from last year’s AFC-winning team, and will hope Brady can continue to play at an MVP level as he gets another year older.

The Dolphins mostly stayed pat like the Patriots, presumably due to their dire cap situation. After lots of speculation they would look to add a quarterback in the first round to replace Ryan Tannehill, they ultimately selected Minkah Fitzpatrick with the 11th overall pick. Their offseason was mostly defined by the players they got rid of, like Ndamukong Suh, Julius Thomas, Mike Pouncey, and Lawrence Timmons. They did sign receivers Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson, and veteran running back Frank Gore. The Dolphins had a disappointing season last year after Tannehill re-tore his ACL, and the team’s success in 2018 will be nearly entirely dependent on his health.

Which team do you think had the best offseason in the AFC East? Vote in PFR’s poll below and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

Poll: Which AFC North Team Had The Best Offseason?

June 8th, 2018 at 8:15pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Over the past week we’ve asked you which AFC West and NFC West team had the best offseason. Another division with a lively past few months has been the AFC North. All four teams drafted quarterbacks, and all four teams changed one of their coordinators. Here’s a quick recap:

The Browns had the most high profile offseason. Holding the number one and four overall picks, the Browns and their draft plans were the topics of endless offseason discussion. When the draft finally came, they ended up taking quarterback Baker Mayfield and cornerback Denzel Ward with those picks. They made a string of splashy trades, acquiring Jarvis Landry, Tyrod Taylor, and Damarious Randall. They were also very active in free agency, signing Carlos Hyde, Chris Hubbard, E.J. Gaines, and Drew Stanton among others. Cleveland did have some significant departures with Joe Thomas retiring, Isaiah Crowell signing with the Jets, and DeShone Kizer traded for Randall. They also added an offensive coordinator for the first time under coach Hue Jackson, hiring Todd Haley after he was not retained by the Steelers. It’s been a long time since there was a competitive Browns team, but with all the offseason moves GM John Dorsey has made, this should be the most talented Browns team in recent memory.

The Ravens joined the Browns in drafting a quarterback in the first round, taking Lamar Jackson 32nd overall. Joe Flacco remains the starter for now, but it won’t be long before Jackson is pushing him. After Dean Pees retired, the team promoted Don Martindale to replace him as defensive coordinator. The team released Jeremy Maclin and signed Michael Crabtree to replace him, also adding John Brown and Willie Snead to further bolster their receiving corp. They also signed Robert Griffin III, who will be fighting for a roster spot this summer. Other than that, they were mostly quiet during free agency, and didn’t make many trades. It will be virtually the same Ravens team taking the field in 2018 as they seek to build on their 9-7 record from last season when they just barely missed the playoffs due to tiebreakers.

The Steelers also drafted their potential quarterback of the future, taking Mason Rudolph in the third round. They notably let Haley walk due to years of disagreements with Ben Roethlisberger, replacing him by promoting quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner. They used their first round pick on safety Terrell Edmunds and took wide receiver James Washington in the second. Other than that, they were mostly quiet, not signing any well-known free agents other than linebacker Jon Bostic. The Steelers elected mostly to return the same team that has dominated the division in recent years.

The Bengals had the most low profile spring. They signed defensive tackle Chris Baker and signed Matt Barkley to replace A.J. McCarron as Andy Dalton‘s backup. They swapped first round picks with the Bills to acquire offensive tackle Cordy Glenn, who the team hopes will help shore up the offensive line deficiencies they’ve faced the last couple of seasons. They took center Billy Price in the first round, and lost their defensive coordinator Paul Guenther to the Raiders. They hired Teryl Austin away from the Lions to replace him. The Bengals will have to hope that Dalton can have a career renaissance and bring them back to being the team that made the playoffs five straight years not too long ago. They’re currently projected by many to finish last in the AFC North, but have the talent to potentially make some noise.

Which team do you think had the best offseason in the AFC North? Vote in PFR’s poll below and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!

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