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Offseason In Review: New Orleans Saints

July 30th, 2014 at 6:19pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 169) from the Eagles in exchange for Darren Sproles.
  • Acquired a first-round pick (No. 20) from the Cardinals in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 27) and a third-round pick (No. 91).

Draft picks:

  • Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State (1.20): Signed
  • Stanley Jean-Baptiste, CB, Nebraska (2.58): Signed
  • Khairi Fortt, OLB, California (4.126): Signed
  • Vinnie Sunseri, S, Alabama (5.167): Signed
  • Ronald Powell, OLB, Florida (5.169): Signed
  • Tavon Rooks, OT, Kansas State (6.202): Signed

Other:

An 11-5 season doesn’t signal a need for big change for most teams, but the bar is set pretty high in New Orleans and the Saints refused to stand pat this offseason. With big upgrades on both sides of the ball, the Saints look to be one of the strongest teams in the NFC.

There were a lot of high-quality safeties available on the open market this offseason but the Saints wanted the very best of the bunch. Jairus Byrd, who ranked No. 3 on Luke Adams’ Top 25 Free Agents list, New Orleans didn’t have a ton of cap room heading into the offseason, but they managed to carve out the space to give Byrd a six-year, $54MM contract. The 27-year-old missed a good chunk of the season with injury but he still wound up with 37 tackles and four interceptions across eleven games and still ranks as one of the league’s premier playmakers at his position. On the flipside, not everyone is applauding the signing, especially since Byrd underwent back surgery to repair a disc issue after inking his deal. Still, if he stays healthy, he figures to give the Saints’ secondary a major punch.Jairus Byrd

Even though the Saints signed one of the offseason’s very best free agents, the last few months have been dominated by talk about star tight end Jimmy Graham. Graham was franchised by the Saints in late February and was the only player who received the tag and didn’t quickly accept the one-year tender or work out a longer-term deal. That’s because, in part, Graham received the ~$7MM franchise tag for tight ends rather than the $12MM+ he would have earned if he had instead been tagged as a wide receiver. Graham, who lined up split out from the offensive line on two-thirds of his snaps in 2013, went to the mat with his team to get the deal he felt he deserved. He would up losing the case despite the help of the players’ union and strong public support, but in the end he got a deal that makes him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history and should keep him in gold and black for years to come.

Getting back to the secondary, the Saints retained restricted free agent safety Rafael Bush, added cornerback Champ Bailey, and used a second-round pick on corner Stanley Jean-Baptiste. Longtime Saints safety Roman Harper and cornerback Jabari Greer, meanwhile, were shown the door in an effort to clear cap room and beef up elsewhere. Bush, 26, inked an offer sheet with the rival Falcons but a two-year, $4.5MM deal wasn’t enough to scare them off. Bush would have been a shoe-in to start with the Falcons and reportedly wanted the opportunity prove himself in a larger role but he projects to come off the bench for the Saints behind Byrd and Kenny Vaccaro. Bailey, meanwhile, was picked up a two-year deal with just $500K guaranteed. While he boasts one of the most impressive resumes of any cornerback in the NFL, he appeared in just five games last season for the Broncos due to a foot injury and has lost a step or three. Greg A. Bedard of MMQB recently wrote that it wouldn’t be a shock if Bailey didn’t break camp with the Saints and the club rolled with one of their talented young DBs like undrafted free agent Pierre Warren instead. Bailey was signed to start for this team but he might wind up plying his craft elsewhere by the time Week 1 rolls around.

Looking at the front seven, familiar faces Will Smith and Jonathan Vilma are no longer with the team. Nose tackle Brodrick Bunkley was also a candidate to change uniforms, but he restructured his contract instead in order to stay aboard. His salary this year went from $4.5MM to $1.65MM, creating $2.85MM in cap space. The 30-year-old’s new deal helped to create room for some of the club’s free agent pickups.

On the other side of the ball, the Saints used their first-round pick to add talented receiver Brandin Cooks. What the 5’10 Oregon State product lacks in bulk he more than makes up for with the ability to change direction and eek out extra yards after the catch. While he’s a different kind of receiver, he’ll see a lot of the targets that would have gone to Lance Moore, who is now a member of the Steelers. He should also get some extra looks now that pass-catching tailback Darren Sproles is out of the picture. It was a surprise to some when he was shipped to the Eagles for a fifth-round selection and while it helped ease a glut in the backfield, it does mean that there is one less dangerous weapon in the arsenal for Drew Brees to work with.

Pass-blocking fullback Erik Lorig was added on a four-year, ~$5MM deal which should help Brees gain a bit of extra time in the pocket. More central to Brees’ success will be the continued presence of Zach Strief, who was re-signed to a five-year pact. The 30-year-old has spent the first eight years of his NFL career in New Orleans, including the last three as the club’s starting right tackle. According to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), the former seventh-round pick enjoyed his best season in 2013, ranking as the league’s best right tackle and grading especially well as a pass blocker.

The Saints have placed increased emphasis on their secondary in recent years and they continued that push heading into the 2014 season. Assuming Byrd stays healthy, it’s hard not to like this Saints team in the NFC South.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

July 29th, 2014 at 8:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Ravens in exchange for Jeremy Zuttah.
  • Acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 185) from the Bills in exchange for Mike Williams.
  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 149) from the Bills in exchange for a seventh-round pick (No. 221) and a 2015 fifth-round pick.

Draft picks:

  • Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M (1.7): Signed
  • Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington (2.38): Signed
  • Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia (3.69): Signed
  • Kadeem Edwards, G, Tennessee State (5.143): Signed
  • Kevin Pamphile, OT, Purdue (5.149): Signed
  • Robert Herron, WR, Wyoming (6.185): Signed

Other:

Things got weird in Tampa Bay last year. Real weird. Former Rutgers coach Greg Schiano kicked off the season with what many perceived as a campaign against his own starting quarterback. Josh Freeman wasn’t voted as a team captain for the first time since his 2009 rookie season, but when teammates huddled up to discuss the election process, they came away with the conclusion that it was rigged and Freeman rightfully should have had a C on his jersey, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. Weeks later, word came out that Freeman had to enroll in the league’s drug program for abusing Adderall and the NFLPA filed a grievance on the matter for breach of confidentiality. There was speculation that Schiano was the one who stripped Freeman of his captaincy and the one who leaked news of the drug problem to the press. When you couple that with an 0-8 start that ended in a 4-12 record for 2013, the Bucs had no choice but to bounce the discipline-loving, cliched sound bite-giving coach. Now, the Bucs will be guided by former Bears coach Lovie Smith who is set to bring the Tampa 2 back to Tampa and, hopefully, foster a healthier environment in the locker room.NFL: Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Minicamp

After the Bucs demoted Freeman (and later cut him), rookie quarterback Mike Glennon was thrust into the starting role and performed about as well as you’d expect most rookie signal callers to perform. Glennon produced an cumulative -6.1 rating from Pro Football Focus, placing him 33rd amongst all eligible QBs in their rankings. Taking his spot on the depth chart will be free agent pickup Josh McCown, who ranked 9th in PFF’s QB rankings. The veteran journeyman started for the Bears in place of Jay Cutler last season after he was lost to injury and filled in admirably, The 35-year-old ended the 2013 season completing 66.8 of his passes for 1,829 yards with 13 touchdowns, one interception and a 109.0 passer rating, the third highest behind Peyton Manning and Nick Foles. In fact, McCown left such a strong impression in Chicago that many fans wondered why the Bears didn’t re-sign him rather than giving an expensive long-term deal to Cutler. Some might wonder if the veteran can replicate his play from last season, but he would appear to be a nice upgrade over the rising sophomore Glennon, who can still be groomed as the club’s QB of the future.

McCown will have the pleasure of throwing to three-time Pro Bowler Vincent Jackson and No. 7 overall pick Mike Evans. The Texas A&M product rocketed up draft charts across the NFL in the weeks leading up to the draft and firmly established himself as the best wide receiver in the class behind Clemson’s Sammy Watkins. In Evans, the Bucs are getting a big 6’5″ target who is hard to take down and can eke out extra yards after a catch that many WRs wouldn’t be able to. Evans doesn’t offer the blazing speed of Watkins or Odell Beckham Jr., the third WR to come off the board in the draft, but he offers serious upside in his own right and appears to be rather NFL-ready. Meanwhile, Mike Williams, who spent the first four years of his career with the Bucs, was shipped to the Bills for a sixth-round choice.

As if that wasn’t enough to help McCown in his first year with Tampa Bay, the Bucs also drafted Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the second round and signed former Raiders and Giants tight end Brandon Myers to a two-year deal. Seferian-Jenkins, like many of the league’s top tight ends, comes from a basketball background and that shows with his high-end athleticism. The 6’5″ athlete has very strong agility and soft hands for a player of his size and is also a decent blocker. Heading into the draft, some teams were wary of the 21-year-old’s perceived character flaws thanks to a 2013 DUI arrest. However, the Bucs interviewed the youngster extensively and walked away without concern.

In March, left tackle Anthony Collins was brought aboard to help protect the starting backfield of McCown and Doug Martin. Collins got a five-year, $30MM deal ($9MM guaranteed) from Tampa Bay even though he never had an extended run as a starter during his six seasons with the Bengals. Still, in his 673 offensive snaps last season, Collins never recorded a negative grade in a game, according to PFF (subscription required). If he can bring that kind of production as a starter, then the Bucs will look pretty smart in the long run.

Also new to the Bucs’ starting o-line is former Packers center Evan Dietrich-Smith. Dietrich-Smith also doesn’t have a ton of starting experience, having started just nine games during his first three seasons in Green Bay before starting in all 16 games for the Packers in 2013. Still, PFF (subscription required) ranked him No. 8 out of 35 qualified centers and he graded particularly well as a pass blocker. Off the bench, the Bucs added guard Oniel Cousins and retained OG Jamon Meredith with a two-year deal. Jeremy Zuttah, a former Rutgers notable who was a holdover from the Schiano era, was sent to the Ravens for a fifth-round choice (fellow RU alums Brian Leonard and Tiquan Underwood were also released).

Tampa Bay’s biggest financial commitment of the offseason came on the other side of the ball when they inked defensive end Michael Johnson to a five-year contract worth $43.75MM with $24MM in guaranteed cash. The Bengals free agent was this year’s fifth-best free agent according to our own Luke Adams and graded out as one of the best 4-3 defensive ends last season in stopping the run. Johnson’s 3.5 sacks in 2013 pale in comparison to his 11.5 sacks from 2012, but he’s still a dominant force that should help disrupt opposing offenses. Along with with defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who was the statistical leader amongst DTs in stopping the run, the Bucs should have a fearsome defensive line to help anchor Smith’s defense. Former Seahawks defensive tackle Clinton McDonald was also brought aboard on a four-year, $12MM deal and he’s expected to sit behind McCoy and Akeem Spence on the depth chart.

The Bucs said goodbye to Darrelle Revis this offseason in order to get out from under his $16MM annual cap hit. While he’ll look to hold his position as one of the league’s top cornerbacks in New England, Tampa Bay brought in Alterraun Verner to take his place. Verner, widely regarded as the second-best free agent cornerback on the open market behind Aqib Talib (excluding Revis, of course, who did not become an FA until he was released by Tampa Bay), signed a rather team-friendly deal considering what he brings to the table. Verner isn’t a truly elite corner like Revis, but since entering the league in 2010, Verner has never placed outside the top 25 in Pro Football Focus’ cornerback rankings. Verner will help anchor a secondary that has some question marks, including starting strong safety Mark Barron. Barron missed most of the Bucs’ OTAs and minicamp with what was thought to be hamstring issue, but he actually underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in January.

The Bucs got a lot done over the offseason, but they’d still like to hammer out a new deal with McCoy and keep him in the fold for the long term. In the short-term, it’s a new era in Tampa Bay and while they might not look the part of Super Bowl contenders, it’s certainly a step up from where they were last season under their old regime.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: Dallas Cowboys

July 24th, 2014 at 7:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 34) from the Redskins in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 47) and third-round pick (No. 78).
  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 146) from the Lions in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 158) and a seventh-round pick (No. 229).
  • Acquired Rolando McClain and a conditional seventh-round pick from the Ravens in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick. Conditions for the traded picks, which also could turn into a swap of seventh-rounders, can be found within the linked story.

Draft picks:

  • Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame (1.16): Signed
  • Demarcus Lawrence, DE/OLB, Boise State (2.34): Signed
  • Anthony Hitchens, LB, Iowa (4.119): Signed
  • Devin Street, WR, Pittsburgh (5.146): Signed
  • Ben Gardner, DE, Stanford (7.231): Signed
  • Will Smith, LB, Texas Tech (7.238): Signed
  • Ahmad Dixon, S, Baylor (7.248): Signed
  • Ken Bishop, DT, Northern Illinois (7.251): Signed
  • Terrance Mitchell, CB, Oregon (7.254): Signed

Other:

AT&T Stadium is an everlasting reminder that Jerry Jones isn’t a fan of the understated. That’s why it was rather surprising to see the Cowboys have a relatively quiet offseason in 2014.

The Cowboys made a major upgrade on their defensive line when they inked tackle Henry Melton. The Bears opted not to extend an offer to the 27-year-old before the start of free agency and had hoped to re-sign him after they figured out how much room they had to work with. Chicago never got the chance as Melton signed on with the Cowboys on a multiyear deal. The deal makes a lot of sense for both sides. Melton can earn nearly $28MM over four seasons if everything works out in 2014 and the Cowboys pick him up for another three seasons. If he struggles to stay on the field, as he did in 2013, the Cowboys can simply decline their club option and move on. Melton, who only played in three games last season, was said to be seeking a one-year, make-good contract, but he came away with the potential for a longer commitment. Even though 2013 didn’t work out as Melton had hoped, he made 14 starts and racked up a career high 31 tackles with six sacks en route to his first Pro Bowl in the season prior. He’ll look to get back to that level this season.NFL: Pro Bowl-NFC Media Day

Melton will be filling the space left by the departure of Jason Hatcher and it’s hard not to like that trade-off for the Cowboys. Despite the time missed in 2013, Melton is younger and probably better suited for Dallas’ defensive scheme. That’s not to say there won’t be challenges for this Cowboys front seven. Hatcher has joined up with the rival Redskins, longtime Dallas mainstay DeMarcus Ware is with the Broncos, and linebacker Sean Lee is done for the season after suffering an injury during OTA’s. On the defensive line, the Cowboys are expected to trot out a front four of George Selvie, Melton, Nick Hayden, and free agent pickup Jeremy Mincey. The Cowboys dropped Ware because of his $16MM cap number for 2014 and Mincey comes in at a much more reasonable $3MM over two years with just $500K guaranteed. Further down the depth chart, the Cowboys added former Texans defensive tackle Terrell McClain on a three-year deal, re-signed pass rusher Anthony Spencer to a one-year deal, and defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, a former No. 10 overall pick.

In the wake of Lee’s injury, the speculation starting coming in fast and furious as to which high-profile linebacker the Cowboys would sign. Would it be former Bears star Brian Urlacher? Would they coax London Fletcher out of retirement? Or how about Jonathan Vilma who was coming off of a 2013 knee injury? The answer: none of the above. Justin Durant will man the middle linebacker position, Kyle Wilber and Bruce Carter will likely be on either side, and rookies DeMarcus Lawrence and Anthony Hitchens will be among those in support.

On the other side of the ball, the conversation is more about who won’t be there in 2014 rather than the additions. New Jersey native Miles Austin, who enjoyed a breakout season with the Cowboys in 2009, has been plagued by a pesky hamstring in recent years and hasn’t been the same player. Not many would have guessed that backup quarterback Kyle Orton would be the center of attention in Dallas throughout the spring and summer, but that’s exactly what happened. After a standoff where Orton intimated that he wouldn’t suit up for the Cowboys and Dallas badly wanted him to play, the Cowboys wound up cutting the bearded QB loose earlier this month. Now, it turns out Orton doesn’t plan on retiring at all and will look to play elsewhere while still enjoying his signing bonus money. It’s a crummy situation for the Cowboys who are without a strong backup behind starter Tony Romo, but on the bright side, they have a little additional cap flexibility this year which could help facilitate extensions for Dez Bryant or Tyron Smith.

The Cowboys didn’t make massive changes this offseason but then again, in a wide open NFC East after an 8-8 season, they didn’t necessarily have to.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: New York Giants

July 22nd, 2014 at 8:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

  • Chris Snee (G): Accepted pay cut. Reduced 2014 base salary from $6.75MM to $2MM in exchange for $1MM in guaranteed base salary and up to $500K in per-game roster bonuses.
  • Steve Weatherford (P): Accepted pay cut. Reduced 2014 base salary from $2.025MM to $900K in exchange for increased roster bonus, workout bonus, and incentives.
  • Mathias Kiwanuka (LB): Accepted pay cut. Reduced 2014 base salary from $4.375MM to $1.5MM in exchange for $700K roster bonus and up to $125K in incentives.

Draft picks:

  • Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU (1.12): Signed
  • Weston Richburg, C, Colorado State (2.43): Signed
  • Jay Bromley, DT, Syracuse (3.74): Signed
  • Andre Williams, RB, Boston College (4.113): Signed
  • Nat Berhe, S, San Diego State (5.152): Signed
  • Devon Kennard, OLB, USC (5.174): Signed
  • Bennett Jackson, CB, Notre Dame (6.187): Signed

Other:

The Giants didn’t renovate this offseason, they practically knocked their house down and built a brand new one. Nearly half of the G-Men roster hit free agency following the 2013 season and, predictably, their 2014 incarnation will look rather different. The Giants historically like to build from within, but they had little choice after a 7-9 showing last season.

Big Blue’s biggest move of all was signing cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to a five-year, $35MM deal as a part of their rebuild of the secondary. After signing a one-year deal with the Broncos last year, DRC enjoyed a strong season in Denver, snagging three interceptions and breaking up 19 passes while ranking fifth overall among 110 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). A $35MM pact is far from cheap, but it’s certainly not an overpay for Rodgers-Cromartie, even with nearly $12MM guaranteed. The Broncos made a six-year, $54MM offer to him before landing Aqib Talib, though that offer didn’t include enough guaranteed money to make him want to stay put. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Joining Rodgers-Cromartie in the overhauled secondary will be cornerback Walter Thurmond and safety Quintin Demps. Thurmond, who missed a quarter of last season thanks to a violation of the league’s substance abuse policy, recorded 24 tackles to go along with one interception and one sack for the defending Super Bowl champs. Thurmond won’t be as integral as DRC or Prince Amukamara, of course, but he should fill the slot role nicely after the departure of Terrell Thomas. Demps, who signed at a discount price, will start at free safety with Antrel Rolle at the other safety spot.

For all of the change happening in East Rutherford, NJ, the Giants maintained some stability when it comes to their linebackers. Jon Beason, who was widely viewed as the No. 1 priority for the Giants amongst their own free agents, was retained with a three-year, $17MM deal (~$6MM guaranteed). It’s a nice deal for the 29-year-old University of Miami product and he won’t have to dole out an extra 10% to anyone since he represented himself in negotiations. The advanced metrics weren’t kind to Beason as Pro Football Focus’ stats ranked him 47th out of 55 qualified inside linebackers last season. Even though his pass coverage might have been lacking, he still registered 93 tackles and an interception in just 12 games with the Giants. One new face joining Beason will be former Ravens LB Jameel McClain. McClain will be moving from a 3-4 scheme to a 4-3 defense but should be a disruptive force for his new team if he stays healthy. The 28-year-old has missed nine games over the last two seasons. A familiar face, Spencer Paysinger, will be back in the fold after accepting a $1.43MM restricted free agent tender. Linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka accepted a pay cut in the offseason, keeping him in place as well. Keith Rivers and Marcus Dowtin, meanwhile, will be plying their craft elsewhere in 2014.

The Giants also moved on from a pair of expensive veterans on the defensive line this offseason in Justin Tuck and Linval Joseph. To help replace Tuck, the Giants inked Robert Ayers to a very reasonable two-year, $3.75MM contract. The former first round pick started 27 games in Denver over five seasons and has a reputation for stuffing the run like few others can and registered 5.5 sacks last season. On the interior, third-round pick Jay Bromley and Mike Patterson (signed to a minimum deal) will be there to support projected starters Johnathan Hankins and Cullen Jenkins. Those men will have to step their games up considerably after Joseph was plucked by the Vikings.

Aside from Rodgers-Cromartie, the Giants’ biggest free agent signing was offensive guard Geoff Schwartz. The Giants’ guard situation left much to be desired with mediocre options such as Kevin Boothe. Schwartz, on the other hand, was both a pass-blocking force and a strong run-blocker for Kansas City last season once he was brought into the starting lineup. The Giants also made a very interesting move when they picked up center J.D. Walton, who hasn’t seen the field since Week 4 of the 2012 season. When he was healthy, Walton was viewed as a high-upside talent, but it’s been a long time since he’s seen the gridiron. If he’s healthy, the Giants may have pulled off two of the best o-line signings of this offseason.

Schwartz and Walton will look to open up holes for the returning Peyton Hillis and new addition Rashad Jennings. After years of backing up NFL notables Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew, Jennings is looking to establish himself as a feature back. He’s coming off of a season in which he ran for a career-high 733 yards last season and he should surpass that total easily as the Giants’ No. 1 option at tailback. Eli Manning, who was less-than-stellar in 2013, will need a strong running game to help keep defenses honest. The addition of first-round pick Odell Beckham Jr. should help make his job easier as well. The speedy LSU wide receiver vaulted up boards in the weeks leading up to the May draft and a number of teams were drooling over his skill set, including MetLife Stadium’s other tenants.

The NFC East wasn’t all that imposing last season and if the trend carries into 2014, the Giants could have an easier path to the postseason than a lot of other teams in the NFL. No matter how things play out, you can’t fault GM Jerry Reese for a lack of trying. Big Blue has turned things upside-down in search of their fifth franchise Super Bowl.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: San Francisco 49ers

July 21st, 2014 at 11:30pm CST by David Kipke

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired Jonathan Martin from the Dolphins in exchange for a conditional 2015 seventh-round pick. Pick changes hands if Martin makes 49ers’ opening day roster.
  • Acquired Blaine Gabbert from the Jaguars in exchange for a sixth-round pick (No. 205) and a conditional 2015 draft pick. 2015 pick changes hands if Gabbert starts eight or more games in 2014.
  • Acquired Stevie Johnson from the Bills in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick which could become a third-rounder depending on Johnson’s performance.
  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 63), a fifth-round pick (No. 171), and a 2015 fourth-round pick from the Broncos in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 56) and a seventh-round pick (No. 242).
  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 57) from the Dolphins in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 63) and a fifth-round pick (No. 171).
  • Acquired a third-round pick (No. 70) and a fifth-round pick (No. 150) from the Jaguars in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 61).
  • Acquired a fourth-round pick (No. 106) and a sixth-round pick (No. 180) from the Browns in exchange for a third-round pick (No. 94).

Draft picks:

  • Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois (1.30): Signed
  • Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State (2.57): Signed
  • Marcus Martin, C, USC (3.70): Signed
  • Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin (3.77): Signed
  • Brandon Thomas, G, Clemson (3.100): Signed
  • Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina (4.106): Signed
  • Dontae Johnson, CB, North Carolina State (4.129): Signed
  • Aaron Lynch, DE/OLB, South Florida (5.150): Signed
  • Keith Reaser, CB, Florida Atlantic (5.170): Signed
  • Kenneth Acker, CB, SMU (6.180): Signed
  • Kaleb Ramsey, DL, Boston College (7.243): Signed
  • Trey Millard, FB, Oklahoma (7.245): Signed

Other:

The 2013 49ers were a team with very few holes. Few were surprised when Jim Harbaugh‘s squad progressed all the way to the NFC Championship Game before falling to the soon-to-be Super Bowl champion Seahawks. Although Colin Kaepernick was solid throughout the season, he was no longer the lightning rod he had been in 2012 when he led the team to Super Bowl XLVII before falling to the Ravens.

The offense received a major shot in the arm with the Week 13 return of Michael Crabtree from a long-term Achilles injury. The additional threat that Crabtree provided opposing defenses was enough to open up holes for the rushing attack, which was vital for the successful operation of Harbaugh’s run-first offense.

The defense, which boasted five 2013 Pro Bowlers, was one of the best units in the entire NFL. Former blue-chip flameout Glenn Dorsey appears to have found a home at the interior of Vic Fangio‘s 3-4 base defense. The linebacking corps, led by interior Pro Bowl duo NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis, was as good as any in the league. In the secondary, Donte Whitner was the group’s largest contributor and leader. Heading into the offseason, the team had to confront the expiring contracts of several potentially expensive players, and the 2014 roster will have a slightly different look to it because of that.

Offensively, the 49ers made dramatic strides at the receiver position during the offseason. They retained Anquan Boldin, traded for Stevie Johnson, signed Brandon Lloyd, and drafted deep threat Bruce Ellington. Frank Gore, who has the second-most rushing attempts among all active running backs, has been surrounded with several intriguing talents to lighten this year’s load. Perennial spell back Kendall Hunter will be joined by second-round pick Carlos Hyde, LaMichael James, and former South Carolina standout Marcus Lattimore.

The team extended Kaepernick through 2020, giving the Nevada alum a six-year, $114MM deal. Along the line, the team re-structured the deal of stalwart left tackle Joe Staley, ensuring the protection of Kaepernick’s blind side for the foreseeable future. Daniel Kilgore, who spent two years learning the 49ers offense while backing up Jonathan Goodwin, will look to finally start at center. The team also traded for Jonathan Martin, a hometown Stanford alum, who possesses higher upside than most NFL swingmen. The absences of the team’s two holdouts, Vernon Davis and Alex Boone, would be significant blows to the entire offense should their messy contract situations carry into the regular season.

Defensively, the biggest transition will be made in the secondary — Eric Reid is the only projected returning starter heading into training camp. He will likely be joined by Tramaine Brock, Chris Culliver, who’s returning from an ACL injury, and former Colt Antoine Bethea. The club brought in Bethea to replace the veteran safety void left by Whitner, who departed to Cleveland. First-round draft pick Jimmie Ward is the favorite to line up as nickel back.

The linebacking corps will take on a fairly new dynamic with the absence of Bowman and possibly Aldon Smith, whose legal woes could result in suspensions. Given their intriguing collection of linebackers, including Michael Wilhoite and Nick Moody and rookies Chris Borland and Shayne Skov, another Stanford alum, the 49ers will have many solid options. The line will again feature Justin Smith, with Ray McDonald playing opposite Smith and Dorsey lined up at nose tackle.

The 2013 49ers came a few plays away from back-to-back Super Bowl berths. That team managed to improve dramatically on offense and more or less hold the line defensively this past offseason, which makes the Niners a serious Super Bowl contender heading into 2014. The team’s regular season matchups against the Seahawks will be two of the season’s most anticipated games, and for good reason — one could reasonably expect the NFC West rivals to meet again in the NFC Championship.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Philadelphia Eagles

July 20th, 2014 at 8:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired Darren Sproles from the Saints in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 169). Extended Sproles through 2016. Two years, $7MM. $5.5MM guaranteed. Reduced cap hit for 2014.
  • Acquired a first-round pick (No. 26) and a third-round pick (No. 83) from the Browns in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 22).
  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 42) from the Titans in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 54) and a fourth-round pick (No. 122).
  • Acquired a fourth-round pick (No. 101) and a fifth-round pick (No. 141) from the Texans in exchange for a third-round pick (No. 83).
  • Acquired a a seventh-round pick (No. 224) and an additional draft pick that will be either a 2015 fourth-rounder, a 2016 third-rounder, or a 2016 fourth-rounder from the Bills in exchange for Bryce Brown and a seventh-round pick (No. 237). Conditional pick dependent on Brown’s and Stevie Johnson‘s performance.

Draft picks:

Other:

In March 2012, Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson sat at the podium to talk about his recent five-year extension. The star wideout didn’t want to discuss the value of the contract. Instead, he wanted to focus on his desire to stay in Philadelphia.Chip Kelly

“The relationship I had with the Eagles, I would rather take the opportunity than go anywhere else,” Jackson said (via Bob Grotz of DelcoTimes.com). “So, regardless of what money I thought I could have got, or how much more, I’m comfortable. I’m not greedy. I feel good where I’m at here and like I said, I still have ways in my contract of making whatever I’m worth in that contract.”

Considering the questions regarding Jackson’s character and attitude, general manager Howie Roseman assured the doubters that the team wasn’t worried.

“We have no questions about DeSean as a person or a player,” Roseman said. “And I think his contract reflects that.”

Oh, how things have changed. Jackson was released in late March amid allegations of
“continued association with reputed Los Angeles street gang members.” That NJ.com piece by Eliot Shorr-Parks and A.J. Perez also pointed to the player’s “bad attitude, an inconsistent work ethic, missed meetings and a lack of chemistry with head coach Chip Kelly.” Meanwhile, Kelly attributed the release to “football reasons.”

Regardless, the Eagles will be without their cornerstone receiver in 2014. Jackson’s production is practically irreplaceable – he was responsible for more than 30 percent of his team’s receiving yards last year. His 2013 season is among the best single-season performances in team history (as are his 2009 and 2010 campaigns). If fans were pessimistic following the Jackson move, they probably didn’t feel much better about the release of eight-year veteran Jason Avant. So, with all those departures, the dynamic offense will certainly take a step back in 2014, right? Not so fast.

Let’s not forget that the Eagles re-signed wideouts Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper. Maclin has shown flashes of potential since he was a first-rounder in 2009, but it would be tough for him to single-handedly fill the void left by Jackson. The 26-year-old hasn’t played since 2012 and is coming back from an ACL injury, so expecting immediate production might be unfair. Cooper had his best statistical season in 2013, finishing with 835 yards and eight touchdowns. The duo will likely top the depth chart, but there’s also two promising rookies backing them up. The Eagles used their second and third picks on receivers, taking Vanderbilt’s Jordan Matthews and former Chip Kelly product Josh Huff. Matthews could certainly make an impact immediately; he finished his senior season with 112 catches for 1477 yards and seven touchdowns. While the group may lack the star power, it is certainly a deeper receiving squad than last year’s crew.

To help make up for Jackson’s loss, the Eagles also traded for Saints running back Darren Sproles. The team didn’t need much help in the running game after finishing with a league-leading 2566 rushing yards last season. However, Sproles is an elite receiving halfback, and the veteran will certainly be one of Nick Foles’ favorite targets. Bryce Brown was a solid, young running back, but Sproles universal impact on offense made the 23-year-old expendable.

The team extended two key members of the offensive line, Jason Peters and Jason Kelce. Peters earned his second First-Team All-Pro selection in 2013 and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Peters as the fourth-best overall tackle in the league. Dishing out a four-year contract to a 32-year-old lineman certainly has some risk, but Peters should at least contribute at an all-star level in 2014. The team also locked up the 26-year-old Kelce for six more years. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the best center in 2013, and he will now be among the five highest-paid at his position.

The team’s other “big” offensive move shouldn’t make much of an impact on the field, as the team replaced Michael Vick with former Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. The offense is clearly in the hands of Foles, and it will be interesting to see whether the sides come to an agreement on an extension or hold off until next offseason.

The team will also see a bit of a makeover defensively. The majority of the team’s departed defenders had their roles reduced once Kelly took over. The Eagles lost a solid run-defending safety in Patrick Chung, but the rest of the team’s departures only accounted for a combined 368 snaps last season. While the team didn’t lose much defensively, they certainly gained some reinforcement, notably safety Malcolm Jenkins. The 26-year-old finished 2013 with 68 tackles and two interceptions. Newcomer Nolan Carroll, who proved to be a solid cornerback with the Dolphins last season, will also help out the secondary along with veteran Nate Allen, who was brought back on a reasonable one-year deal.

The team also focused on defense in the draft, selecting Louisville defender Marcus Smith with the 26th pick. Smith finished last season with 42 tackles, including 18.5 for a loss, and 14.5 sacks, earning him AAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. He’ll likely be stuck in a rotation with Connor Barwin and Trent Cole, but Kelly could capitalize on the rookie’s versatility to keep him on the field. The team also selected Florida’s Jaylen Watkins in the fourth round, and the cornerback could contribute immediately as a nickelback.

It’s hard for any team to win 10 games in the NFL and even harder to do it in consecutive seasons. However, Kelly’s system clearly succeeded, and the coach spent the offseason constructing a roster that reflected his game plan. We’ll see if it works again in 2014.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: Washington Redskins

July 18th, 2014 at 1:10pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Trades:

  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 47) and a third-round pick (No. 78) from the Cowboys in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 34).
  • Acquired a sixth-round pick (No. 186) and a seventh-round pick (No. 228) from the Titans in exchange for a sixth-round pick (No. 178).

Draft picks:

  • Trent Murphy, LB, Stanford (2.47): Signed
  • Morgan Moses, OT, Virginia (3.66): Signed
  • Spencer Long, G, Nebraska (3.78): Signed
  • Bashaud Breeland, CB, Clemson (4.102): Signed
  • Ryan Grant, WR, Tulane (5.142): Signed
  • Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor (6.186): Signed
  • Ted Bolser, TE, Indiana (7.217): Signed
  • Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas (7.228): Signed

Other:

  • Hired Jay Gruden as head coach.
  • Promoted tight ends coach Sean McVay to offensive coordinator.
  • Exercised Ryan Kerrigan‘s fifth-year option for 2015 ($7.038MM).
  • U.S. Patent Office canceled Redskins trademark.
  • Tanard Jackson suspended indefinitely again.
  • Signed 14 rookie free agents after the draft.

Okay, so things didn’t go quite as planned in 2013 in the nation’s capital. The Redskins finished with their worst record since 1994, canned coach Mike Shanahan after four seasons, and waged what might be a losing PR battle against those who want them to change their nickname. In more ways than one, this is a team in search of its true identity."<strong

While John Gruden has been connected to multiple openings in recent years, but it was younger brother Jay Gruden who was hired to be a head coach in 2014. The former Bengals offensive coordinator and longtime arena football mainstay is also an ex-quarterback and the Redskins are hopeful that he’ll click with Robert Griffin III better than his predecessor did last season. The game is bigger than one person, but the Redskins won’t get far if Gruden can’t get RGIII back to his 2012 form.

Between the player-friendly Gruden and the arrival of former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson, RGIII won’t have many excuses in 2014. After he was cut by Philly, the Redskins gave Jackson what amounts to a three-year pact worth ~$24MM, with $16MM fully guaranteed. The average annual value and guarantee are higher than what Eric Decker got from the Jets and shows how important it was for the Redskins to get another weapon in the passing game. Last year, Pierre Garcon led the league with 181 targets and many of those looks figure to transfer over to Jackson this season. Jackson should also pick up more attention from opposing secondaries, opening things up more for Garcon and others. The only person in D.C. who might not be thrilled about the arrival of Jackson might be fellow free agent addition Andre Roberts. Roberts was often overshadowed in Arizona by Larry Fitzgerald and, at times, Michael Floyd, and came to the Redskins in hopes of occupying the No. 2 WR role. Jackson’s arrival bumps him down the depth chart a bit and barring injury, there’s no way he’ll see the kind of target total he was hoping for. Impressively, the Redskins were able to add Jackson and Roberts to their receiving corps while losing only Dezmon Briscoe and Josh Morgan.

While Jackson and Gruden should bring change to the offense, the bulk of the Redskins’ change came on the other side of the football this offseason. The Redskins added defensive tackle Jason Hatcher on a four-year, $27.5MM deal. The 32-year-old was a valuable member of the Cowboys, recording 19.5 sacks on both the interior and exterior over the past three years. However, Dallas’ cap situation kept them from competing to retain his services. In support of defensive line starters Hatcher, Barry Coefield, and Jarvis Jenkins, the Redskins retained Chris Baker and added former Eagles lineman Clifton Geathers. Both players can play on the inside and outside, giving the Redskins additional versatility off the bench.

London Fletcher decided to hang ’em up after the 2013 season, but there’s still plenty of stability in the linebacking corps. The Redskins used the franchise tender on Brian Orakpo, giving him a fully guaranteed one-year, $11.45MM deal. The Redskins could have also worked out a new deal to lock him up for years to come, but that deadline came and went this week. Orakpo ranked fourth among 3-4 outside linebackers in 2013 according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required). Ryan Kerrigan, who was a Pro Bowler in 2012, will be back alongside him after the Redskins exercised his fifth-year option at just over $7MM. The 25-year-old turned in 8.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons and even though PFF’s metrics weren’t as kind to him in 2013 as they were in 2012, Kerrigan is still a force that can help put pressure on opposing QBs. Perry Riley will also be back in the fold after signing a three-year, $12MM ($5MM guaranteed) pact.

Longtime Redskins safety Reed Doughty is no longer with the team and a couple of notable veterans are slated to start at safety for the Skins this season. Ryan Clark and Brandon Meriweather both came aboard on highly reasonable one-year make-good deals. Meriweather, who re-signed for just $1MM, was the Redskins’ choice as they weren’t enamored with the second-tier safeties available on the open market. Playing free safety and strong safety for the Redskins in 2013, Meriweather logged 69 tackles and a pair of interceptions in 13 games. However, he ranked just 77th out of 86 qualified safeties according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). Clark, who was Troy Polamalu‘s partner in crime in Pittsburgh for years, agreed to terms with Washington in early April. The 34-year-old had a career-high 104 tackles to go along with two interceptions in 2013 and Washington got him for just over $1MM when factoring in the signing bonus. Cornerback Tracy Porter, who appeared to be getting pretty cozy with the Giants, joined up with the Redskins following a strong year for Oakland. He’ll look to keep receivers in check with DeAngelo Hall, back on a four-year, $17MM deal, manning the other side of the field.

This wasn’t an offseason of tremendous on-the-field change for the Redskins, but what they needed more than anything was a new voice in the locker room and another offensive weapon. They got just that in Gruden and Jackson, respectively. Now it’s time for Washington to get back on track.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: Chicago Bears

July 17th, 2014 at 6:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Trades:

  • Acquired a fourth-round pick (No. 131) and a seventh-round pick (No. 246) from the Broncos in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 156) and a 2015 fifth-round pick.

Draft picks:

  • Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech (1.14): Signed
  • Ego Ferguson, DT, LSU (2.51): Signed
  • Will Sutton, DT, Arizona State (3.82): Signed
  • Ka’Deem Carey, RB, Arizona (4.117): Signed
  • Brock Vereen, S, Minnesota (4.131): Signed
  • David Fales, QB, San Jose State (6.183): Signed
  • Pat O’Donnell, P, Miami (FL) (6.191): Signed
  • Charles Leno Jr., OT, Boise State (7.246): Signed

Other:

After an 8-8 season and their third straight campaign without a playoff appearance, the Bears are looking to turn things around in a big way in 2014. As evidenced by the lengthy catalog of their moves above, few teams were busier this offseason than Chicago.

Jay Cutler missed a good chunk of last season, opening the door for the emergence of backup quarterback Josh McCown. As the pouty signal caller was set to hit the open market, many wondered if the Bears might instead opt to roll with McCown and let their longtime starter go elsewhere. However, early on in the New Year, General Manager Phil Emery announced that the Bears signed Cutler to a new contract worth a reported $126MM over seven years with $38MM guaranteed. The Bears are ostensibly happy about the new deal and Cutler must be over the moon, but not everyone was crazy about the contract. Cutler hasn’t played a full season since 2009 and while he’s getting paid like Tony Romo (the contracts are quite similar), he doesn’t have the same kind of yardage totals as the Cowboys QB. So why pay that kind of money for a quarterback who has just one career playoff victory to his credit and doesn’t have the stats of others at his pay grade? There are a few reasons. The Bears are banking on Cutler holding up better than he has in recent years, which would go a long way towards making his contract worthwhile. Those yardage totals should also spike under the continued tutelage of pass-happy head coach Marc Trestman. And, while the payout is high over a seven year period, it’s unlikely that Cutler ever sees the later years of that contract. The reality is that there aren’t a ton of high-quality quarterbacks out there in today’s NFL and Chicago understandably felt more comfortable with Cutler than 35-year-old journeyman McCown.Jared Allen

Cutler has a better chance of staying on the field if his offensive line holds up and the new four-year deal for guard Matt Slauson will help with that effort. Chicago agreed to sign the former Jets lineman to a $12.8MM deal with $3.9MM guaranteed before other teams had the opportunity to steal him away. After free agent guards like Geoff Schwartz, Jon Asamoah, and Shaun Lauvao signed deals with higher average annual values on the open market, Slauson’s deal looks pretty solid. He wasn’t much of a force during his time with Gang Green but he has blossomed into a very solid offensive guard for Chicago and should continue to be for years to come.

The Bears and Brandon Marshall agreed to a contract extension in May that allowed for Chicago to lock down one of the game’s best wide receivers. The deal gives Marshall $30.1MM in new money and will pay him $15MM in 2014. The veteran also made NFL history by becoming the first NFL player to announce his new contract on “The View.” Whoopi Goldberg opined that Marshall is the kind of high-end receiver needed to help make Trestman’s fast-paced passing offense succeed. Joy Behar also gave a thumbs up to Emery, citing Marshall’s league leading 33.0 rating on Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

The real overhaul came on the other side of the football where the Bears added two impact defensive ends. The Bears signed former Raiders DE Lamarr Houston after he turned in a career year with 56 tackles, 6 sacks, and two forced fumbles. The Bears’ run defense left much to be desired in 2013 and the addition of Houston should go a long way towards fixing that issue. To help beef up the pass rush, the Bears edged out the defending champion Seahawks and other interested suitors to land Jared Allen. Allen, 31, may not be quite as fearsome as he was in his prime, but he remained productive and durable in 2013, recording 11.5 sacks in his last season with the Vikings. It was the sixth straight year in which Allen had started all 16 regular season contests for the team, and the seventh consecutive season he’d notched 11 or more sacks. Pro Football Focus’ metrics ranked the veteran fifth overall among 4-3 defensive ends in ’13 and is out to prove that he’s very much prepared to continue as a full-time player. The Bears will also have Willie Young, who started for the Lions last season, there in support of Allen and Houston. The Bears were forced to make Julius Peppers a cap casualty in March, but they made up for it with some very notable additions.

The Bears shiny new bookends should be exciting to watch but it’s hard to say whether the defensive line will succeed as a whole after the departure of Henry Melton. The loss of Melton to the Cowboys hurts. While missed most of 2013, he made 14 starts and racked up a career high 31 tackles with six sacks en route to his first Pro Bowl in 2012 and showed a great deal of potential. In his place, the Bears will now count on former Cowboy Jay Ratliff along with the returning Stephen Paea and second-round picks Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton.

There are some new faces on the defensive line, but the Bears managed to keep some stability in their secondary by re-signing Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman. Jennings could have potentially found a nice deal if he put his toe in the free agency pool, but that was far from a certainty given that he’s on the wrong side of 30. Over the last two seasons, Jennings has 13 picks and 104 tackles to his credit, so Chicago was happy to lock him down before he hit the open market. However, one has to wonder if the Bears could have retained him for less if they let him collect offers from other clubs first. There is some change of note at safety with Ryan Mundy – who was signed to a reasonable two-year, $3MM deal – former Packer M.D. Jennings and ex-Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson in reserve roles.

All things considered, much of the Bears’ success will probably hinge on the overhauled defensive line and the health of Jay Cutler. If things fall into place for Chicago, there’s no reason why they can’t come out on top of the NFC North in 2014.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Offseason In Review: Green Bay Packers

July 14th, 2014 at 8:41pm CST by David Kipke

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Draft picks:

  • Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama (1.21): Signed
  • Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State (2.53): Signed
  • Khyri Thornton, DT, Southern Miss (3.85): Signed
  • Richard Rodgers, TE, California (3.98): Signed
  • Carl Bradford, OLB, Arizona State (4.121): Signed
  • Corey Linsley, C, Ohio State (5.161): Signed
  • Jared Abbrederis, WR, Wisconsin (5.176): Signed
  • Demetri Goodson, CB, Baylor (6.197): Signed
  • Jeff Janis, WR, Saginaw Valley State (7.236): Signed

Other:

The Packers’ 2013 season was going smoothly until Week 9, when Aaron Rodgers sustained a broken collarbone. Including the ensuing loss to the Bears, the Packers proceeded to utterly collapse, going on a 2-5-1 stretch that featured a tie with a cellar-dwelling Vikings team. During the slide, Rodgers was replaced by the likes of Seneca Wallace, practice squad call-up Scott Tolzien, and Matt Flynn, whose career with the Packers had been interrupted by quick, subsequent stints with the Seahawks, Raiders, and Bills. A triumphant return from Rodgers in the team’s Week 17 matchup against the Bears culminated with the former MVP’s touchdown pass to Randall Cobb in the last minute of the game, which not only provided one of the most iconic plays of the 2013 season — it also sent the 8-7-1 Packers to the playoffs. A hard-luck Wild Card qualifier, the 12-4 49ers, traveled to Green Bay and narrowly defeated the Packers, sending them into the offseason with bright prospects for 2014.

On offense, Rodgers continued to solidify himself as one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL while one of his receivers – Cobb – stepped into Greg Jennings‘ vacated spotlight and emerged as one of the league’s most special talents. Jordy Nelson, James Jones, and late-season revelation Jarrett Boykin rounded out one of the best receiving corps in the NFC. On the ground, rookie running back Eddie Lacy proved to be more than worth the second-round pick that the Packers spent on him last Spring. To add to the rushing attack, Lacy was effectively spelled by veteran James Starks.

Defensively, the team struggled after GM Ted Thompson had failed to address what many considered to be the team’s primary need during the 2013 offseason: a new safety. The unit performed poorly across the board, finishing 24th in pass defense and 25th in rush defense. The team’s once-feared multi-level tandem of B.J. Raji and A.J. Hawk were shadows of their former selves in Dom Capers‘ 3-4 base defense. Clearly, most of Green Bay’s needs heading into the 2014 offseason were on the defensive side of the ball.

Thompson’s defensive moves this offeason started with his decision to stand by Capers, instead making changes at the player level. Substantial help arrived for Capers’ unit via both free agency and the draft. Thompson went out and signed superstar defensive end Julius Peppers, who, despite being past his peak, still presents a significant threat along the line. As talented as he is, Peppers’ fit into the 3-4 – a formation he’s yet to encounter in the NFL – will be something to watch during the 2014 season.

In the draft, the Packers’ were delighted to have Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, the consensus All-American safety from Alabama, fall to them at 21st overall in the first round. Clinton-Dix will look to step in and start immediately in a secondary that badly needed the help. The club also managed to re-sign by far the most valuable member of that secondary, cornerback Sam Shields, and added depth to the interior of the defensive line, retaining the fast-fading Raji and bringing Letroy Guion to back up Raji at nose tackle.

Offensively, the Packers made up ground in some areas and appeared to take steps backward in others. Although they lost Jones via free agency, the receiving corps was refurbished in the draft with wide receivers Davante Adams, Jared Abbrederis, and Jeff Janis, along with tight end Richard Rogers. This receiving-heavy rookie class has the potential to blossom into the next great generation of Packers’ pass catchers, who have benefited from the signal-calling of Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.

Up front, Thompson raised several eyebrows by not re-signing center Evan Dietrich-Smith, who had been publicly endorsed by Rodgers heading into the offseason. Second-year center J.C. Tretter, who once played tight end at Cornell, will look to fill the void left by Dietrich-Smith. The Packers also received some big help along the o-line with the return of tackle Bryan Bulaga, who tore his ACL last August.

The Packers will head into the season as favorites to make the playoffs out of the NFC North. Any competent team led by Rodgers has the potential to win a Super Bowl. Throw in a potential juggernaut offensive cast around Rodgers and an improved, passable defense, and it’s easy to see why many consider the Packers to be one of the best teams in the NFC heading into the 2014 season. Because they must play the AFC East and NFC South, two relatively top-heavy divisions that will likely produce a few particularly tough match-ups, 12 wins and another NFC North title seems a fair prediction for the Packers.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions

July 13th, 2014 at 3:11pm CST by Rory Parks

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

  • Montell Owens (RB): Restructured contract. 2014 base salary reduced from $1.25MM to $855K in exchange for $100K roster bonus, $50K workout bonus, and up to $200K in per-game incentives.
  • Cory Greenwood (LB): Restructured contract. Reduced 2014 base salary from $730K to $645K, eliminated $20K workout bonus, and eliminated 2015 season.

Trades:

  • Acquired a second-round pick (No. 40) from the Seahawks in exchange for a second-round pick (No. 45), a fourth-round pick (No. 111), and a seventh-round pick (No. 227).
  • Acquired a fifth-round pick (No. 158) and a seventh-round pick (No. 229) from the Cowboys in exchange for a fifth-round pick (No. 146).

Draft picks:

  • Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina (1.10): Signed
  • Kyle Van Noy, LB, BYU (2.40): Signed
  • Travis Swanson, C, Arkansas (3.76): Signed
  • Nevin Lawson, CB, Utah State (4.133): Signed
  • Larry Webster, DE, Bloomburg (4.136): Signed
  • Caraun Reid, DT, Princeton (5.158): Signed
  • T.J. Jones, WR, Notre Dame (6.189): Signed
  • Nate Freese, K, Boston College (7.229): Signed

Other:

When the Lions qualified for the playoffs in 2011 after an 11-year absence, it seemed only a matter of time before they would make a serious run at the Lombardi Trophy. They had an explosive offense, a strong enough defense, and had shown steady improvement under head coach Jim Schwartz. Unfortunately, they were unable to continue along that positive trajectory. After failing to reach the playoffs in 2012 and 2013, the team overhauled its coaching staff in the hopes of re-establishing itself as a serious contender in the NFC.

Jim Caldwell

After firing Schwartz, the team hired Jim Caldwell in January of this year as his replacement. Caldwell’s hire was something of a surprise. He served as head coach of the Colts from 2009 to 2011, guiding Indianapolis to two AFC South titles and an AFC championship during that time. However, star quarterback Peyton Manning missed the 2011 season due to injury, and the team collapsed in his absence. After a 2-14 campaign, Caldwell was fired and resurfaced as quarterbacks coach of the Ravens shortly thereafter.

Despite not having any experience as a playcaller, Caldwell replaced Cam Cameron as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator when Cameron was fired late in the 2012 season. Caldwell utilized Cameron’s playbook more effectively than Cameron did, and he oversaw Joe Flacco‘s historic playoff run that culminated in a Super Bowl victory. However, 2013 was an unmitigated disaster for the Ravens’ offense, and Caldwell had no remedy for his woeful unit. Nonetheless, the Lions liked what they saw in Caldwell as a manager of staff and players, and handed him the reins of their promising but underachieving roster.

Caldwell brought in Joe Lombardi, a young and respected offensive mind who had served as the Saints’ quarterbacks coach since 2009, as his offensive coordinator. He then hired Teryl Austin, who had been the Ravens’ secondary coach since 2011, to run the defense.

As is often the case when a new coaching regime takes over, there has been a great deal of optimism surrounding the Lions’ new staff. As far as the team’s offense is concerned, such optimism is more than justified. An already dynamic attack was augmented by two significant additions, Golden Tate and Eric Ebron. Tate slowly came into his own in Seattle before signing a lucrative deal with Detroit, and he projects as the team’s No. 2 receiver opposite the game’s most dominant wideout, Calvin Johnson. The Lions hope Tate, who is a talented playmaker in his own right, can direct some of the attention of opposing defenses off of Johnson, something that Nate Burleson–who left for the Browns this offseason–could never really accomplish.

In Ebron, the team landed the consensus No. 1 tight end in this year’s draft. Many pundits predict that Ebron, with his blend of size and speed, can impact Detroit’s passing game the way Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski impacted the offenses of their respective clubs. While Ebron may eventually approach that level of success, it might take a season or two before the Lions truly reap the benefits of his talent. Ebron has struggled with drops in offseason workouts–which is a concern, given that drops plagued him in college as well–and with grasping Lombardi’s offense. Nonetheless, it will be impossible for defenses to adequately cover every player in the Lions’ aerial attack, and if those defenses continue to double-team Johnson, quarterback Matt Stafford might see Ebron running free down the seam many times over the course of the season (it is also important to note that the team re-signed tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Pettigrew is a talented enough pass catcher himself, but he is also one of the few tight ends in the league who offers receiving and blocking abilities, so his presence will probably be an underappreciated but invaluable glue for this offense).

Defense, however, will again be a concern. The Lions struggled mightily against the pass in 2013, and they released top corner Chris Houston and safety Louis Delmas. They added veteran corners Rashean Mathis and Cassius Vaughn on one-year minimum contracts, but it is unrealistic to expect much out of those two players. New strong safety James Ihedigbo, signed as a free agent from the Ravens, offers quality play as a run-stopper and occasional pass rusher, but, like traditional strong safeties, does not offer much by way of pass coverage. As such, the onus will fall upon corner Darius Slay and free safety Glover Quin to pick up the slack on the back end of the defense.

The front seven, however, offers more promise. The defensive line is anchored by Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh, and Ziggy Ansah demonstrated tremendous upside in his rookie campaign that he should be able to build upon in 2014. Meanwhile, the Lions supplemented their linebacker corps, anchored by veterans Stephen Tulloch and DeAndre Levy–who enjoyed the very definition of a breakout season in 2013–with intriguing talent Kyle Van Noy, whom they selected in the second round of this year’s draft. Van Noy was a late riser in the draft, and the Lions liked him enough to trade their No. 45, No . 111, and No. 227 picks to Seattle to move up five spots to nab him. Van Noy is not an elite athlete–which probably kept him out of the first round–but he does everything else well, and he should see a lot of snaps in his rookie season.

There will also be a kicking competition between Nate Freese, whom the team selected in the seventh round of this year’s draft, and Giorgio Tavecchio, who has been in camp with the 49ers and Packers in recent seasons but who has not yet established himself in the league. Freese, as a draftee, is the presumptive favorite, and the Lions hope he will be the team’s long-term solution at the position after veteran David Akers struggled in 2013 to replace the production of stalwart Jason Hanson. Both Freese and Tavecchio, however, have struggled thus far.

The Lions are unquestionably a team with talent, and the coaching changes were probably necessary ones, as the proverbial message of Schwartz and company had apparently grown stale. However, outside of their possibly dynamic offense, they are also a team with flaws. Fortunately for them, the Packers and Bears have vulnerabilities of their own, and the Vikings appear to be at least a year away from legitimate contention. As such, the Lions have a real chance to make a run at the NFC North crown, but, failing that, a wild card berth is well within their reach.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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