In case you were wondering, the start of the new league year means very little when it comes to the advancement of the acquisition (at least in principle) of players who aren’t technically on the open market until that league year turns over. When the NFL officially fell into 2020 at 4:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, most of the major transactions had already taken place.
With that in mind, it’s actually entirely appropriate to grade every team on the relative wisdom of their free-agent moves.
Arizona Cardinals
When you’re an NFL executive, it’s always good when you can take advantage of the deals proposed by other, lesser NFL executives. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim was able to fleece Texans head coach/GM Bill O’Brien because O’Brien has an interesting tendency to overvalue players he doesn’t have, and undervalue the players he does. That’s the only possible explanation for the deal that sent DeAndre Hopkins, one of the NFL’s best receivers, to the Valley of the Sun in exchange for running back David Johnson and a minor draft pick swap. This is just one of O’Brien’s many personnel embarrassments over the last two years, while Kyler Murray now gets to throw to Hopkins and Larry Fitzgerald. Not bad. Add in the signing of underrated former Bills defensive lineman Jordan Phillips, and it’s hard to argue with any of Arizona’s moves so far.
Grade: A+
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons tried to move pass-rusher Vic Beasley before the 2019 trade deadline, but it didn’t happen. So, they let Beasley sign with the Titans and moved on to ex-Rams edge man Dante Fowler Jr., which can only be seen as a massive upgrade. Losing tight end Austin Hooper to the Browns stings a bit for Atlanta’s passing game, but Cleveland gave Hooper a four-year, $42 million deal, which seems like a lot for a player who needs complementary pieces to succeed. The primary need here is at cornerback, which was exacerbated with the release of Desmond Trufant, whose counting stats were better than his tape last season.
Grade: B
Baltimore Ravens
You could call this the “Derrick Henry” effect. After losing to the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round – with Henry putting up 195 yards rushing – the Baltimore Ravens looked to inject their defensive front with some run stoppers. They did that, adding Michael Brockers and then acquiring Calais Campbell, who can also get after the passer. They also added a second round pick via trade, sending tight end Hayden Hurst to the Atlanta Falcons. But the two big defensive acquisitions make a good defense even better.
Grade: B+
Buffalo Bills
The big piece here is the acquisition of Stefon Diggs. By adding a dangerous, vertical playmaker the Bills put quarterback Josh Allen in a position to be successful next season. The downfield portion of their passing game was a big disappointment a season ago, and Diggs can give that a boost. Adding Quinton Jefferson and Vernon Butler to the defensive line, and keeping talented safety Jordan Poyer in the fold, are also smart moves.
Grade: A-
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers made the decision to move on from Cam Newton when they signed Teddy Bridgewater to a three-year, $63 million contract, which is great market value if Bridgewater, who was part of five wins as Drew Brees’ understudy in New Orleans last season, can stay healthy. New head coach Matt Rhule is clearly being tasked with a rebuild, and moving on from Newton — who unfortunately has dealt with injuries and ineffectiveness over the last two seasons — is the right call. Carolina also signed sneaky-good defensive end Stephen Weatherly, the former Vikings player. Cornerback is a bigger need now because the Panthers lost James Bradberry to the Giants. Losing both Mario Addison and Vernon Butler to the Bills presents needs on the defensive line, as well.
Grade: B
Chicago Bears
The Bears have been around since 1920 — they were one of the NFL’s original franchises as the Decatur Staleys, then the Chicago Staleys, then the Chiacgo Bears since 1922. And it could be argued that the franchise’s last transcendent quarterback was Sid Luckman, who retired in 1950. It’s unusual for a franchise with the average number of staff changes over the years remains so under the curve when it comes to quarterback evaluation, but that’s where we are with the Bears, who seem incapable of understanding quarterback performance versus quarterback value. The move to trade for Nick Foles, and take on his massive salary, is just the latest version of this. Foles has restructured his deal to allow him to void the contract after either of the next two seasons based on performance, when there’s no clear indication that he’ll be able to beat out Mitchell Trubisky based on recent performance. You have to work very, very hard to be this weird about quarterbacks through the eras, so we’ll give the Bears some credit for that. The moves for Robert Quinn and Jimmy Graham won’t pull this out of the fire. Very little could. Texans head coach/GM Bill O’Brien was taken off the hook with the DeAndre Hopkins disaster, because this was the worst deal of the 2020 free-agency period.
Grade: F
Cincinnati Bengals
D.J. Reader is a very good acquisition for the Cincinnati Bengals. He is one of the game’s up-and-coming talents along the interior defensive line, and locking him up for four years and pairing him with Geno Atkins on the inside is a huge boost to the Bengals’ defensive line. Trae Waynes is a redemption project and could pan out if Cincinnati employs a ton of man coverage next season, but that uncertainty drops this grade down a bit.
Grade: B
Cleveland Browns
When a team illustrates a clear positive vision for their future during free agency, the grades reflect that vision. Kevin Stefanski’s vision for the Browns’ offense is clear with the acquisitions the Browns have made so far, making them one of free agency’s early winners. They agreed to terms with Austin Hooper, given Stefanski and Baker Mayfield a tight end to work on the inside with Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry still on the outside. They acquired fullback Andy Janovich in a trade with the Denver Broncos, and given how much Stefanski relied on 12 and 21 personnel packages these moves are incredibly logical. They added a potential bookend tackle in Jack Conklin, and even an ideal veteran backup quarterback/mentor in Case Keenum, who is intimately familiar with Stefanski’s offense. A great start to the off-season by Cleveland.
But we said this last year…
Grade: A
Dallas Cowboys
New Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Nolan started his tenure by watching three impact players — pass-rusher Robert Quinn, defensive tackle Maliek Collins, and cornerback Byron Jones — walk out the door in free agency. Signing tackle Gerald McCoy is a bit of a balm, but Dallas’ defense is not what it was. Re-signing receiver Amari Cooper to a five-year, $100 million contract is great for the offense, but there’s still no resolution on Dak Prescott’s long-term status — just a franchise tag hanging over everybody’s heads.
Grade: C
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos have largely been quite on the free agency front. They added center/guard Graham Glasgow, who was one of the enticing interior offensive line options behind Joe Thuney and Brandon Scherff, both of whom were given the franchise tag. They also acquired Jurrell Casey via a trade with the Tennessee Titans for just a seventh-round selection. Bringing Justin Simmons back also is a solid move for them.
Grade: B
Detroit Lions
Under head coach and former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, the Lions seem to have become New England West. Former Patriots standouts Danny Shelton and Jamie Collins are now Lions, which ostensibly gives Patricia a bit of the Pats culture he so clearly wants to build. Losing tackle Ricky Wagner and guard Graham Glasgow in free agency, and signing former Eagles tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai to a five-year, $45 million deal seems like a net negative.
Grade: B-
Green Bay Packers
Few teams played more dime defense (six defensive backs) than the Packers did last season under defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. Dime defense requires a linebacker who can roam the field in pass coverage and move down to stop the run. Green Bay didn’t have that in 2019, but they do now in the person of ex-Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey, one of the league’s most versatile and effective players at his position. Kirksey also played under Pettine in Cleveland. So, problem solved there. Losing right tackle Bryan Bulaga to the Chargers was not great, though Rick Wagner, the ex-Lions lineman, can pick up most of the slack.
Grade: B
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans became the butt of many internet memes and jokes as free agency began, and with most NFL fans stuck at home, there were many jokes to be made. They traded away star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, getting back David Johnson (and his big contract) and a second-round selection in return. Not exactly a huge get, especially when you consider what the Buffalo Bills gave up to acquire Stefon Diggs. Adding free safety Eric Murray, cornerback Vernon Hargreaves and wide receiver Randall Cobb do not outweigh the Hopkins move, but they do keep the Texans from flat-out failing.
Grade: D-
Indianapolis Colts
Philip Rivers is a solid addition for the Indianapolis Colts, especially on a one-year “prove it” type of deal. That still gives them an opportunity to draft a quarterback in this upcoming draft, although that might be a bit tougher after they traded away their first-round selection for DeForest Buckner. Buckner is a stout defender on the interior of the defensive line who can still get after the passer, making him a solid addition as well. Indianapolis still has two early second-round picks, at 34 and 44, so they could get back into the first round if needed.
Grade: B
Jacksonville Jaguars
Linebacker Joe Schobert is growing into one of the league’s better all-around linebackers, and with a need at the second level of their defense, Schobert’s signing is very logical. However, he comes at a steep price, given his five-year $54.75 million dollar contract. Darqueze Dennard is a bit of a risk at cornerback, but he can provide some depth in the secondary. But what boosts Jacksonville’s grade, even given what they’ve lost this off-season (Calais Campbell, A.J. Bouye and in all likelihood Yannick Ngakoue) is the fact they unloaded Nick Foles and his contract to the Chicago Bears, and got an asset in return. Even a fourth-round selection is better than nothing.
Grade: B
Kansas City Chiefs
The defending Super Bowl Champions have largely been quiet this off-season, and that explains their grade so far. They gave backup quarterback Chad Henne a contract extension and placed the franchise tag on star defensive end Chris Jones. How they handle his potential tag and/or extension will determine their final grade, but since that is hanging out on the vine, it is hard to give them a final grade.
Grade: C
Las Vegas Raiders
Some of the moves the Las Vegas Raiders made are very impressive. With issues at linebacker they added Cory Littleton, who is a prototypical linebacker for today’s NFL, with the ability to stay on the field in passing downs and some excellent coverage skills. Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock both liked Marcus Mariota coming out of college, so adding him at the quarterback spot should not be surprising. They added another solid inside linebacker in Nick Kwiatkowski, and a pocket-pushing defensive tackle in Maliek Collins. Eli Apple is a nice reclamation project at the cornerback spot who can be a solid man coverage corner. But then they gave a bit contract to Carl Nassib, they agreed to terms with Jason Witten, and added safety Jeff Heath, which are some head-scratchers.
Grade: B
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers have made some wise decisions up front, which should help solidify their offensive line. First they acquired guard Trai Turner via trade, giving them a relatively cost-controlled interior lineman for the next few seasons. Then they signed right tackle Bryan Bulaga from the Green Bay Packers, giving them a very stout option on the right side of their line. They also kept tight end Hunter Henry in the fold, using the franchise tag on him. Who they’ll be protecting, and catching passes from, remains to be seen, although reports are the Chargers are going to roll with Tyrod Taylor into the 2020 season. Finally, the Chargers added cornerback Chris Harris Jr., perhaps the best CB on the market after Byron Jones.
Grade: B+
Los Angeles Rams
It might be time to admit that the Rams are undergoing a rebuild. With four stars (Jared Goff. Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald, and Brandin Cooks) taking up nearly $100 million in cap for 2020, there’s not much left to sign other impact players. Sean McVay’s team lost safety Eric Weddle to retirement, and lost pass-rusher Dante Fowler, linebacker Cory Littleton, cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman, and defensive tackle Michael Brockers in free agency. Signing former Bears edge-rusher Leonard Floyd in no way makes up for the loss of Fowler. The Rams were in “win-now” mode over the last couple of years, and now, they’re paying for it.
Grade: D
Miami Dolphins
Similar to the vision we saw from the Cleveland Browns the past few days, we saw the future of the Miami Dolphins defense as free agency unfolded. Brian Flores looks to be building a man coverage, pressure defense similar to what he coached in New England, and the additions reflect that thinking. Byron Jones gives Flores another talented man coverage corner, and gives the Dolphins the highest-paid CB tandem in the league between Jones and Xavien Howard. Kyle Van Noy gives Flores a Swiss Army knife type of linebacker, who can pressure passers or drop into coverage. Shaq Lawson gives them an option on the edge, as does Emmanuel Ogbah. They had money to spend, and they added a ton. Do not forget, they also have three first-round picks.
Grade: A
Minnesota Vikings
One thing you generally don’t want to do is to double down on your average franchise quarterback and then trade your best receiver. But that’s what the Vikings did in giving Kirk Cousins a three-year, $96 million contract extension, and then sending Stefon Diggs to the Bills for a load of draft capital. Not great for the offense in the short term. Minnesota also released cornerback Xavier Rhodes and lost cornerback Trae Waynes to the Bengals, which means that their two ineffective outside cornerbacks from 2019 are gone and need to be replaced. The Vikings were smart to put the franchise tag on safety Anthony Harris, but there’s a lot of work to be done on both sides of the ball, and three more years of Cousins is three more years of quarterback purgatory — especially without Diggs.
Grade: C
New England Patriots
The loss of Tom Brady is going to weigh heavily on this grade, but there is reason to be concerned right now if you are a New England Patriots fan. Yes, the greatest quarterback of all time is gone, but so too are pieces on the defensive side of the football such as Duron Harmon, Jamie Collins, Kyle Van Noy and Danny Shelton. So far they have just added wide receiver Damiere Byrd and retained Joe Thuney, Matthew Slater and the McCourty Twins. However, Bill Belichick does most of his damage on the secondary free agent market, so odds are they are not done just yet. Still, what has happened to date is concerning for Patriots fans.
Grade: C
New Orleans Saints
Losing Teddy Bridgewater to the Panthers doesn’t seem to bother Sean Payton given the Saints’ faith in Taysom Hill, but Bridgewater has proven that he can run Payton’s offense in Drew Brees’ stead, while Hill, at this point, is a gadget player with quarterback potential. That could come back to bite the Saints if Brees misses any time as he did in 2019.
Grade: C
New York Giants
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman made a couple of strong moves to build up a defense in desperate need, signing ex-Panthers cornerback James Bradberry and former Packers linebacker Blake Martinez. Bradberry immediately becomes Big Blue’s best cornerback (a low bar, to be sure), while Martinez, who was miscast as a coverage ‘backer in Green Bay, will likely be tasked to be more of a forward-facing run-stopper. A good start for a team with needs all over the place.
Grade: B
New York Jets
It is not what you have to spend, but how you spend it. A year after making two splash acquisitions in linebacker C.J. Mosley and running back Le’Veon Bell, the New York Jets have been a bit quieter this free agency period. They added offensive tackle George Fant, who shows flashes at times but might be at his best as a sixth offensive lineman/swing tackle, and brought in center Connor McGovern. They’ll probably look to bolster the offensive line some more with their first-round pick, likely at tackle.
Grade: C+
Philadelphia Eagles
Losing offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai and running back Jordan Howard in free agency rids the Eagles of two players with promise who ultimately disappointed in 2019. Philly made a big splash with the addition of ex-Steelers defensive lineman Javon Hargrave, but the lack of any movement at the receiver position, so obviously an issue for this team last season, means that the Eagles may be banking on the idea that their veterans will be healthy in 2020. Eagles fans can only hope that’s an accurate calculation.
Grade: B
Pittsburgh Steelers
Yes, we are grading on a curve, but the curve can only do so much. The Pittsburgh Steelers were in a brutal position with the cap, and this free agency period is likely more of a cost-cutting exercise than anything else. They did agree to a contract extension with tackle Zach Banner, and they did convert some of Vance McDonald’s contract into a bonus, which helped clear some space. They also added fullback Derek Watt from the Los Angeles Chargers. But without much cap space, they are limited in what they can accomplish. They’ll need to hit on some draft picks.
Grade: C+
San Francisco 49ers
Not that the 49ers needed a lot of roster help in this free-agency period– John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have put together one of the more stacked lineups in the NFL. Re-signing safety Jimmie Ward to a three-year, $28.5 million contract extension is a decent move if Ward can stay healthy. The 49ers will likely lose receiver Emmanuel Sanders in free agency, which amplifies one of San Francisco’s few positional shortfalls, but after trading DeForest Buckner to the Colts for the 13th overall pick, the brain trust can avail itself of one of the best wideouts in a draft class chock-full of talent if it chooses to do so.
Grade: B
Seattle Seahawks
Losing offensive lineman/hybrid tight end George Fant to the Jets wasn’t a big deal for the Seahawks, but losing outside/inside pass-rusher Quinton Jefferson to the Bills presents a bigger issue. Jefferson is one of the NFL’s most underrated defensive linemen, and Seattle doesn’t have another guy with Jefferson’s capabilities unless Jadeveon Clowney re-signs in the Emerald City. Losing Jefferson also takes some of the luster off the Jarran Reed re-signing, though Reed is a quality player. The sleeper deal so far for Seattle, we suppose, is multi-positional offensive lineman B.J. Finney, who fills a few backup holes but doesn’t solve the team’s longstanding protection issues in a larger sense.
Grade: C
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
So… letting Jameis Winston go and getting Tom Brady at $30 million per year seems like a minor upgrade. In truth, the combination of Brady, head coach and offensive play-designer Bruce Arians, and a group of targets that far exceed anything Brady had in Foxboro over the last decade looks like an ideal recipe for success. Losing pass-rusher Carl Nassib to the Raiders is a minor ding, and not what anybody is talking about. Brady is one of the most important free-agent signings in NFL history, and he’s in the right place. This puts the Bucs on a championship trail.
Grade: A
Tennessee Titans
Credit to the Tennessee Titans. They were not distracted by the shiny object in Tom Brady – he of the six Super Bowl rings – and reached a contract extension with Ryan Tannehill instead. While at first blush it seems like a ton of money for Tannehill, the contract is front-loaded in a way to give the Titans a reasonable out after the 2022 season. To try and make sure those years are successful seasons, they applied the franchise tag to running back Derrick Henry. They also added some help on the edge, bringing in defensive end Vic Beasley. While Beasley has not matched his 15.5 sacks from the 2016 season in recent years, he does give them a viable option across from Harold Landry up front. This grade might ultimately hinge on what happens with Henry’s status.
Grade: B
Washington Redskins
Re-signing slot cornerback Kendall Fuller (who they previously traded to Kansas City in the Alex Smith deal) to a four-year, $40 million deal when Fuller proved to be less and less effective through his time with the Chiefs is a questionable at best move. New head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio know their defensive backs, and goodness knows Washington needs cornerbacks, but this seems like a typical Redskins overpay. Signing veteran Thomas Davis is a nice move to get a veteran who will upgrade the culture.
Grade: B-
