24. Denver Broncos
Previous ranking: 25
Key additions: G Graham Glasgow, DT Jurrell Casey, RB Melvin Gordon, TE Nick Vannett, CB A.J. Bouye
The Broncos made a number of moves, both via the open market and through trades, and have the arrow trending in the right direction as spring approaches. First up was their use of the franchise tag on safety Justin Simmons, a talented player in the secondary who can be the cornerstone of their back third for the next few years, provided he and the team work out an extension. They also acquired cornerback A.J. Bouye via trade, easing the loss of Chris Harris Jr., in free agency. With Noah Fant in place as the No. 1 tight end, Vannett can serve ideally as a second option. Melvin Gordon is an interesting acquisition, and he gives the Broncos a pair of talented running backs with him and Phillip Lindsay. Finally, Graham Glasgow was perhaps the best interior offensive lineman available, and the Broncos likely view him as their starting center for 2020.
23. Los Angeles Rams
Previous ranking: 21
Key additions: DT A’Shawn Robinson, OLB Leonard Floyd
A few years ago, the Rams went all in on their pursuit of a Super Bowl. They loaded up around Jared Goff while he was on his rookie contract, acquiring players such as Aqib Talib, Brandin Cooks and Marcus Peters. They also handed Todd Gurley a big contract extension and gave Aaron Donald a well-deserved contract. They made it to a Super Bowl, but when they lost, they doubled down on some of the risky decisions. They traded for Jalen Ramsey and handed Goff a big contract extension. Now, after missing the playoffs last season, the bill is due.
Gurley is now with the Atlanta Falcons, they have minimal draft capital thanks to some of the trades they have made, and they have made scant few acquisitions in this free agency period. Add these moves up — along with what is happening around them in the NFC — and you see a team trending in the wrong direction.
22. Atlanta Falcons
Previous ranking: 19
Key additions: RB Todd Gurley, WR Laquon Treadwell, TE Hayden Hurst
The Falcons entered free agency with minimal cap space and difficult decisions to make with a few players. One of the first they made was to trade tight end Austin Hooper to the Cleveland Browns; players they lost in free agency include Vic Beasley and De’Vondre Campbell.
They looked to shore up the tight end position via trade, acquiring Hayden Hurst from the Baltimore Ravens (along with a fourth-round selection) in exchange for a second-round selection and a fifth-round selection. They signed Dante Fowler Jr., to replace Beasley. They also took a flier on Todd Gurley, giving him a one-year, $5 million deal in the hopes that his surgically repaired knee is healed enough.
They still need to address some areas, such as cornerback (in the wake of releasing Desmond Trufant) as well as the offensive line. Those needs, coupled with other action around the league and in the NFC South, drop the Falcons a few notches in this list.
21. Las Vegas Raiders
Previous ranking: 22
Key additions: QB Marcus Mariota, DE Carl Nassib, DT Maliek Collins, ILB Cory Littleton, ILB Nick Kwiatkoski, CB Eli Apple, WR Nelson Agholor, S Jeff Heath
The Raiders were one of the most active teams over the past few weeks, adding a number of players at key positions. Cory Littleton might be the star of this group as one of the league’s top coverage linebackers and a true three-down LB in today’s NFL. Maliek Collins is a nice acquisition as well, as he can push the pocket from the interior. Carl Nassib might have been given a big contract (a three-year, $25 million deal) but you can never have enough pass rushers in today’s NFL.
Mariota is a very interesting signing. He was given a two-year, $17.6 million contract that is actually less team-friendly than Derek Carr’s next season, so the Raiders might face an interesting decision in the next year or so about the quarterback position. Nelson Agholor had his issues with drops over the past few years — becoming an internet meme along the way — but he is an ideal fit for Gruden’s West Coast system.
20. Cleveland Browns
Previous ranking: 23
Key additions: TE Austin Hooper, T Jack Conklin, CB Kevin Johnson, S Karl Joseph, S Andrew Sendejo, DT Andrew Billings, LB B.J. Goodson, FB Andy Janovich, QB Case Keenum
Like the Raiders, the Browns were one of the busiest teams over the past few days. They brought in a ton of new talent, and the acquisitions paint a picture of how their offense in particular will operate in the new season. New head coach Kevin Stefanski relied heavily on 12 offensive personnel (one running back and two tight ends) last season with the Minnesota Vikings, and that makes their acquisition of Hooper a big move. Pairing him with perhaps David Njoku at the tight end spot, with Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry on the outside, gives the Browns an ideal 12 personnel package.
They also acquired Andy Janovich from the Denver Broncos via trade. Last year Stefanski also relied heavily on the fullback position, and Janovich will see an increased role in this new offense.
Beyond those two players, Case Keenum and Jack Conklin are also big acquisitions. Keenum gives the Browns a veteran backup and potential mentor for Baker Mayfield. Conklin also gives Cleveland a cornerstone tackle on the right side of the line, and with the 10th overall selection, the Browns are in position to grab the bookend for the left side of the OL.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers
Previous ranking: 18
Key additions: TE Eric Ebron, DE Chris Wormley, C Stefen Wisniewski, FB Derek Watt
The Steelers were in cap hell prior to free agency, and that forced them to make difficult decisions regarding some of their own free agents. As a result, nose tackle Javon Hargrave is headed across the state, having signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.
But as they hope for Ben Roethlisberger to return from his season-ending elbow injury from last year, they managed to add a weapon for him in the form of Ebron. The former Indianapolis Colts tight end was used extremely well by Frank Reich over the past few years, and he gives a healthy Roethlisberger a very nice security blanket with the potential to be a vertical threat out of multiple-tight end packages. Ultimately, however, the fate of Pittsburgh in 2020 rests on the status of Roethlisberger’s right elbow.
18. Chicago Bears
Previous ranking: 16
Key additions: QB Nick Foles, DE Robert Quinn, TE Jimmy Graham, OLB Barkevious Mingo, CB Artie Burns
The biggest question facing the Bears this offseason was how to handle the quarterback position. After general manager Ryan Pace traded up in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft to select Mitchell Trubisky, that gambit seems to have failed. Trubisky regressed last season, and Bears fans have been clamoring for someone to at least push Trubisky for the job next year.
That player might just be Nick Foles, who is a good schematic fit given his experience in West Coast systems such as Matt Nagy’s. The Bears needed to trade for him and take on his contract, so it is clear that Pace knows he has just a few cards to play as the pressure builds around him.
Pace seemed to make a similar decision about the tight end position, which also let the Bears down over the past season or so. With Trey Burton struggling with injuries and Adam Shaheen not living up to his pre-draft hype, they acquired an aging Jimmy Graham and gave him guaranteed money.
Yeah, that seat is definitely hot under the GM in Chicago.
17. Houston Texans
Previous ranking: 11
Key additions: WR Randall Cobb, FS Vernon Hargreaves, FS Eric Murray, RB David Johnson
There is that picture again …
I was reminded the other day of the series finale of “Seinfeld.” The show’s main characters are on trial in Massachusetts for violating the state’s “Good Samaritan Law,” a nod to how self-absorbed the four main characters were through the run of the series. The eventual trial gave the creator of “Seinfeld” a chance to bring back beloved minor characters to testify against Jerry and company, among them the show’s version of George Steinbrenner.
As the owner of the New York Yankees was on the stand, an infuriated Frank Costanza arose in the back of the courtroom, bellowing out at the owner “How could you give 12 million dollars to Hideki Irabu!?”
You could almost imagine a beleaguered Texans fan yelling something similar at Bill O’Brien about trading away DeAndre Hopkins. And if the Twitter ratios on the Texans’ main account are any indication, the ire felt by that fan base will not go away anytime soon.
Compounding matters are recent, lyrical yet cryptic tweets from quarterback Deshaun Watson:
i don't know how i’ma make it out of here clean. can’t even keep track of who plays for the other team..
iconic duos rip and split at the seams— Deshaun Watson (@deshaunwatson) March 23, 2020
Things seem fine …