Denver Broncos: Amari Cooper, WR (Dallas Cowboys)
Now we have our first repeat player, and it will not be the last time we see Cooper in this piece.
With a good deal of cap space available to them, the Denver Broncos are poised to make some big moves in free agency. At the outset they need to look at some of their internal options, as cornerback Chris Harris Jr. and safety Justin Simmons are both entering free agency, and the organization would be wise to bring both back to the AFC West.
Beyond those decisions, John Elway needs to start helping his young quarterback. Elway did a fantastic job working his draft board last season, trading down and still coming away with Noah Fant, Dalton Risner and Drew Lock (that young quarterback) with his first three selections. Risner has been a stalwart up front for the Broncos sicne Week 1, starting all 16 games last year for Denver. Fant showed why he was a first round selection as the year wore on, showing some explosiveness in the passing game. Lock, when the team turned to him, showed flashes as well.
Now it is time to build around him. The Broncos have a solid receiver in Courtland Sutton, but after trading Emmanuel Sanders a season ago they need to get Lock another weapon and Sutton a running mate. Cooper would be a huge addition to this offense that can help in a number of ways. First off, defenses would be unable to simply double or rotate coverage to on side of the field, given what both Sutton and Cooper bring to the table. Additionally, teams might consider playing more two-high safety looks against this pair of receivers, which A: Lightens the box for the running game and B: Creates an opportunity for Fant to attack the middle of the field. Adding Cooper gives this offense a number of ways to attack a defense, and goes a long way towards setting Lock up for that sophomore quarterback jump.
Kansas City Chiefs: Chris Harris, Jr, CB (Denver Broncos)
Having the emerging face of the league in Patrick Mahomes cost controlled for a few more seasons puts the Kansas City Chiefs in position to compete for years to come. But the defending Super Bowl Champions do have some decisions to make, and not a ton of cap space to put to use. They would be wise to retain defensive lineman Chris Jones, but if they look outside of the organization to help, adding a cornerback would be a smart play for them.
The Chiefs are set to lose both Morris Claiborne and Bashaud Breeland in free agency, and replacing them should be the first thing the Chiefs look to accomplish after getting Jones back into the fold. It does seem that he will be available given the Broncos’ recent acquisition of A.J. Bouye via trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is coming off what was – for him – a down season, but last year the Broncos used him almost exclusively as a boundary cornerback after he spent the bulk of his career in the slot. Adding Harris in free agency and then drafting a corner at the end of the first round would go a long way towards shoring up a secondary that stands to lose players over the next few weeks.
Plus, with Mahomes in the fold, the KC defense does not need to be perfect week in and week out…
Las Vegas Raiders: Tre Boston, S (Los Angeles Chargers)
Scheme fit is something we have discussed regarding quarterbacks over the past week or so, with both the draft quarterbacks and the free agent quarterbacks. But it is also something to consider when you think about the defensive side of the football, especially with how teams play in the secondary and their pairings of safeties.
The Raiders are set to see Karl Joseph, a starter for them a season go, leave in free agency and the options currently on the roster to replace him might not be incredibly attractive. A season ago the Raiders drafted Johnathan Abram, a hard-hitting safety who operates best down in the box. But Joseph was also a safety best suited to play either down in the box or as part of a two-high scheme. With these two safeties, the Raiders and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther often struggled to implement single-high coverages.
Adding Boston gives the Raiders a true, top flight free safety, who can play in that single-high role and give Las Vegas a defender who can get sideline-to-sideline on a given play. That would free up Abram to play more down in the box, where he was most comfortable and effective while in college. Over the past three seasons Boston has tallied 11 interceptions and 16 pass breakups from that free safety spot, impressive numbers for a player used almost exclusively in that role.
Los Angeles Chargers: Jack Conklin, OT (Tennessee Titans)
The Los Angeles Chargers are widely expected to address the quarterback position with the sixth overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, and they have been linked to players such as Justin Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa.
But regardless of which quarterback they choose, they will need to dedicate a lot of resources towards protecting that passer as they embark on their rookie season. The Chargers have already agreed to trade last year’s starting left tackle Russell Okung to the Carolina Panthers for guard Trai Turner, but that creates a hole at left tackle. They also would be wise to try and upgrade at right tackle, given the pass rushing EDGE defenders they see in the AFC West such as Von Miller and Frank Clark.
That makes Jack Conklin an enticing option. While the current Titan spent time on injured reserve in 2018, he started every contest for Tennessee last year during their run to the AFC Championship Game. While Conklin got some help early in his career through scheme, such as alignment and running back/tight end chips to help him on the edge, last year he was of the top tackles in ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate, posting a winning percentage of 92%, eighth-best in the league among tackles. Adding Conklin would give the Chargers one very good tackle, and they could look to add another with their second round selection at 37 overall. Players such as Josh Jones from Houston or Ezra Cleveland from Boise State could be options at that selection.