Tag: Pro Football Focus

Saints’ offseason assets ranked among the NFL’s worst war chests

PFF has the Saints in the worst position to be in: a bad team without many offseason assets. They need more draft picks and more salary cap space to compete:

Pro Football Focus has New Orleans Saints in the worst position to be in as we get closer to the talent acquisition portion of the offseason. The Saints are a bad team without a lot of assets to change this reality. That means they’re short on draft picks and salary cap resources.

PFF ranked New Orleans as having the third-worst assets this offseason. Most teams at the bottom of the asset rankings are playoff teams. The Seahawks, who rank at the bottom, were a tiebreaker away from winning the NFC West. Then you have the Saints and Atlanta Falcons at 30 and 31st.

These rankings were determined by three categories: effective cap space, restructure potential and draft capital. The problem for the Saints is they’re the only team without any effective cap space after pushing so much money from past deals into this fiscal year.

New Orleans does have a good amount of restructure potential, as always, but most of the restructuring will be to get under the salary cap. It doesn’t mean they won’t sign anyone in free agency. New Orleans signed Chase Young last year after starting in a similar situation. However, the restructuring won’t give the Saints much to play with this offseason.

Building the roster will come through the draft for New Orleans in 2025. PFF’s rankings is a great depiction of that. Having one of the lowest sets of assets shouldn’t be too startling for New Orleans. This was expected to be a job that required a multi-year renovation.

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PFF has surprising pick for Panthers’ best free-agent signing of 2024

PFF tabbed a Panthers guard as the team’s best free-agent signing of the 2024 season, and it may not be the one you’re thinking about.

A hog molly has been named the Carolina Panthers’ top free-agent signing of this past season—and it’s not the one who just went to his first Pro Bowl.

Pro Football Focus contributor Dalton Wasserman recently tabbed each team’s best and worst signees from the 2024 offseason. And it’s left guard Damien Lewis, not right guard Robert Hunt, who takes the honor for the Panthers.

Wasserman writes:

One of two marquee guards signed by Carolina last offseason, Damien Lewis delivered a career-best 75.5 overall grade in his first year with the Panthers. His performance played a significant role in the team improving from 27th to 16th in pass-blocking grade this season.

Carolina inked Lewis, a former third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks, to a four-year, $53 million deal last spring.

In addition to that career-best overall grade, he also recorded the second-highest pass-blocking mark (72.0), the second-highest run-blocking mark (76.9) and the second-highest efficiency rate (97.4 percent) of his five-year NFL tenure.

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What does Chargers DL Poona Ford’s projected free agent contract look like?

Poona Ford was a beast up front, and he should be one of the Chargers’ priorities to bring back.

With Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford set to become a free agent this offseason, what could his next contract be?

Pro Football Focus recently made a projection for Ford and the other top 100 free agents this offseason.

According to PFF, they are projecting that Ford will land a one-year deal with $3.5 million. This includes $1.5 million guaranteed.

Signed last offseason, Ford had a resurgent season under defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.

Ford, the man in the middle of the defensive line, was integral in stopping the run. His 80.3 PFF run-defense grade ranked third among interior defenders. He also had 25 quarterback pressures.

PFF’s projection for Ford seems a little low, considering how great he played in 2024. Instead, he might garner a contract worth $14 million-$16 million per year, as he should be one of the top defensive tackles on the market.

While the price might be a bit high for some, Ford should be a top priority for the Chargers. The team is well-stocked in salary cap space, so they should be able to afford him.

What does Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins’ projected free agent contract look like?

J.K. Dobbins returned to form this season, proving that he should be re-signed by the Chargers.

With Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins set to become a free agent this offseason, what could his next contract be?

Pro Football Focus recently made a projection for Dobbins and the other top 100 free agents this offseason.

According to PFF, they are projecting that Dobbins will land a two-year deal with $7 million. This includes $4 million guaranteed.

Signed last offseason, Dobbins’ play exceeded his $1.6 million prove-it deal. He set a career-high in rushing yards (905) and tied his personal best in rushing touchdowns (9).

After spending most of his time with the Ravens on the sidelines due to multiple lower-body injuries, Dobbins managed to stay healthy for most of the season, appearing in 13 games in 2024.

As a result of his bounce-back campaign, Dobbins is a finalist for the Associated Press’ Comeback Player of the Year Award.

It’s clear that Dobbins boosts the running game when he is on the field. However, the consistency of his health remains a question mark.

Nonetheless, the Chargers would be wise to bring him back, especially considering how cheap he should be.

Top 3 Guards Seahawks could pursue in free agency

Top 3 Guards Seahawks could pursue in free agency

The Seattle Seahawks failed to receive adequate play from their offensive guards throughout the 2024 season. Hamstrung at both left and right guard, Seattle’s offensive line was a weakness all campaign long. Veteran Laken Tomlinson was underwhelming while performing on a one-year contract, and is unlikely to return in 2025. The right-sided spot saw three rookies and sophomores alternate snaps, with Anthony Bradford, Christian Haynes, and Sataoa Luamea failing to truly establish themselves as long-term pieces.

General manager John Schneider must continue addressing the guard position this offseason. With a plethora of young blockers already on the roster, adding a veteran via free agency may be a more appropriate strategy. Pro Football Focus identified the top three guards currently slated to hit the market.

Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs

Trey Smith is arguably the best scheduled free agent at any position. PFF’s 11th-ranked guard throughout 2024, the former Tennessee Volunteer is well-positioned to sign a multi-year contract worth more than $20 million annually. Smith may price himself outside Seattle’s comfort zone, but if John Schneider truly wants to make an expensive splash at the position, this is the player he’d pursue.

Will Fries, Indianapolis Colts

Will Fries’ situation will be complicated. He was enjoying a career-best season when he suffered a season-ending fractured tibia in Week 5. Fries had earned an 86.8 PFF overall grade prior to being placed on the mend. If his injury leads to a slightly discounted rate, Schneider should monitor the situation.

Teven Jenkins, Chicago Bears

Teven Jenkins once looked like a second-round bust at offensive tackle, but kicking inside to guard salvaged his pro career. Jenkins has dealt with injuries and various position changes, but he’s been a steady performer at guard. Coming off his rookie contract, there’s plenty of productive football ahead of him.

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Seahawks LB Tyrice Knight named team’s breakout candidate for 2025 season

Seahawks LB Tyrice Knight named team’s breakout candidate for 2025 season

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald was displeased with the play from his off-ball linebackers when he made sweeping midseason changes. Opening week starters Tyrel Dodson and Jerome Baker were cast aside in October. The Seahawks acquired Ernest Jones IV from the Tennessee Titans at the trade deadline. Jones immediately revamped Macdonald’s defense. The other part of that equation was rookie linebacker Tyrice Knight.

A fourth-round selection out of UTEP, Knight performed beyond his years. Showcasing an advanced skill set, Knight defended both sideline-to-sideline, and between the tackles. The 2024 rookie pleased Macdonald.

Given his rookie season form, it’s no surprise that Pro Football Focus has named him Seattle’s breakout player for the 2025 campaign.

“Seattle did an about-face with its inside linebacker room during the middle of the season, paving the way for Knight,” Bradley Locker wrote in a recent article. “The UTEP product performed soundly when given the opportunity, with a 79.6 PFF tackling grade and a 73.3 PFF pass-rushing grade. Moreover, Knight garnered a 70.0 PFF overall mark in six of his 12 games played. With Ernest Jones’ contract situation uncertain, Mike Macdonald may very well rely on Knight in the middle of his defense in 2025.”

Knight recorded 88 total tackles. He also added 1.5 sacks and two pass breakups to his defensive totals. With Jones IV potentially heading for free agency, Knight is the only starting linebacker guaranteed to return to the Seahawks in 2025. That makes him an applicable breakout candidate.

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What does Chargers CB Asante Samuel Jr.’s projected free agent contract look like?

Asante Samuel Jr. will be one of the top cornerbacks on the free agency market this offseason.

With Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. set to become a free agent this offseason, what could his next contract be?

Pro Football Focus recently made a projection for Samuel and the other top 100 free agents this offseason.

According to PFF, they are projecting that Samuel will land a three-year deal with $43.5 million. This includes $26.5 million guaranteed.

Samuel is coming off a contract year where he missed all but four games due to a shoulder injury. He had 13 tackles and two passes defended in 2024.

Selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft out of Florida State, Samuel made a significant impact from the start of his professional career.

From his rookie campaign to 2023, Samuel shined in coverage, amassing over 10 breakups and two interceptions in each of those seasons.

While his ball skills have been a strength of his game, Samuel has struggled as an open-field tackler.

The case could be made for the Chargers to re-sign Samuel, as he’s an asset in coverage and is only 25 years old.

On the flip side, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter requires good tacklers on the backend, and the cornerback room got great production from Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still when they were thrust into starting roles.

PFF shares their perfect draft prospect for the New Orleans Saints

Pro Football Focus has found who they believe is the perfect prospect for each NFL team in the 2025 NFL draft class, and their choice for the Saints is an edge rusher

The 2025 NFL offseason is getting closer by the day as the playoffs continue toward Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. With that, we also grow nearer to the 2025 NFL draft, where the New Orleans Saints hold the No. 9 overall pick and good trade leverage when it comes to other picks. There will always be speculation when it comes to who teams will draft, and often times they will likely not be right.

With that said, Pro Football Focus shared their predictions and analysis for who they believe is the best prospect for each team in the upcoming draft class. Their choice for the Saints is edge rusher Nic Scourton out of Texas A&M. Here’s the rationale provided for this pick:

“The Saints team pass-rush grade was 65.5 in 2024, which ranked 23rd. Chase Young led the team with 47 pressures on the year, followed by Carl Granderson and then the talented but aging star Cam Jordan.

While there is only one Cam Jordan, Nic Scourton could be an important piece in trying to replace Jordan in the aggregate. Jordan only played 564 snaps in 2024, but that was following 13 straight seasons of at least 770 snaps per year. Nic Scourton is a heavy-handed, big, strong defensive lineman who, at 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds, is almost the identical size as Jordan. While Jordan played predominantly on the left side during his career, Scourton has played over 500 snaps on both the left and right side of the Aggies defense over the last two years.”

When it comes to predictions, Scourton feels very similar to what the Saints look for at defensive end. Large body and frame with proven versatility at their position, solid but not elite production, and some element of potential that leaves room for development.

With Brian Young taking over many of the defensive line coaching duties previously, and a new head coaching hire incoming this season, we may see a complete staff overhaul which could be positive or negative pending who it is. Regardless, it gives Scourton and any other prospects a chance to come into something new and develop at a reasonable pace, which is positive for their careers.

Overall, the edge position has been difficult for the Saints in recent years, and if they are going to take one it needs to be someone they are sure is going to pan out. Scourton is solid no doubt, but there may be better options up at the No. 9 pick as well, so we will see how it plays out.

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PFF’s highest-graded New Orleans Saints free agent may surprise you

PFF’s highest-graded New Orleans Saints free agent may surprise you. Who expected wide receiver Dante Pettis to get top marks?

The New Orleans Saints have a handful of contributors from last year’s squad heading into free agency, but the one that got the highest Pro Football Focus grade is not someone anyone would expect.

PFF’s Bradley Locker recently went through each NFL team’s impending free agents to find the players that received the best marks last season. For the Saints, it was wide receiver Dante Pettis at 70.2. That isn’t a great grade, but that does say a lot about how New Orleans performed last season.

This is what Locker had to say about the season:

As the Saints dealt with a slew of wide receiver injuries, Pettis received a makeshift opportunity and made the most of it. His 69.3 PFF receiving grade was his highest since 2018, and he also had zero drops on 24 targets. However, Pettis’ other advanced numbers, such as yards per route run (1.21) and yards after catch per reception (2.9), were lackluster.

Pettis had just 12 catches for 120 yards and a touchdown in 2024. It wasn’t much, but it was his first recorded stats since 2022 and actually the third-best campaign of his career.

With Shaheed hurt, the veteran also stepped in to a bit of a return specialist role at times as well. He had 90 total punt return yards and 96 from kickoffs. He also had a huge return for a touchdown called back after it was ruled he went out of bounds. It wasn’t much, but he did have a couple of big plays.

The 29-year-old receiver will likely be off to another new team next year, perhaps he did enough late to earn a chance at a real role. He does have a big fan in interim head coach Darren Rizzi, who values Pettis on special teams. If Rizzi is named the full-time head coach he could choose to keep Pettis around.

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PFF makes obvious choice for most improved Vikings player in 2024

PFF recently listed its most-improved player from each team in 2024. No one improved as much as the Minnesota Vikings’ selection.

Pro Football Focus recently announced its most improved player from each team during the 2024 NFL season. Most selections were young players who made jumps during their rookie contracts. However, this wasn’t the case for the Minnesota Vikings, whose selection was not only a veteran but was also the league’s most-improved player.

According to the article, Sam Darnold was the Vikings’ most-improved player in 2024. He went from a potential placeholder at quarterback to one of the league’s five finalists for the AP Comeback Player Of the Year. Only four quarterbacks threw for more touchdowns than Darnold’s 35.

PFF said the following about Darnold’s season:

Darnold completed 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns while registering the third-most big-time throws in the NFL and earning a career-high 82.7 grade. The Vikings’ offense was buoyed by Darnold’s ability to stand in the pocket and let throws rip to his talented receivers, and Darnold was aided by one of the best play-callers in the business. The totality of it all is Darnold has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in 2024, leading the Vikings to a 14-3 record, and he’s going to get paid in the offseason.

The article also began with three random nuggets, including Darnold being the most-improved player across the league by their metrics. This is a testament to Kevin O’Connell and his staff’s ability to elevate the play of a quarterback who bounced around the league for six seasons. What can they do with J.J. McCarthy next year when they can groom him from Day 1?

It remains to be seen where Darnold will play next year. But his 2024 season will help him get a starting job with a quarterback-needy team while getting his first big contract. And that wouldn’t have been possible without his massive improvement this year.