If you're an NFL fan, chances are that unless you're also a football geek, you have no memory from last offseason of the Patriots trading for Cordarelle Patterson and Devin McCourty. Even hardcore Chiefs fans may not have noticed in January 2018, when the team secured undrafted Andrew Wylie off its practice squad. When the Seahawks drafted a punter in the fifth round, most fans shrugged.
Bargain bonanzas, all of them.
McCourty and Patterson each cost Bill Belichick only a late-round pick but missed only one game between them, helping the Patriots get to and win a Super Bowl. Though he had been cut by three other teams and accrued few if any points for style, Wylie started 10 games at guard plus two more in the playoffs. Punter Michael Dickson aided Seattle's drive to a wild-card berth while earning a spot on the All-Pro team.
Several similarly modest moves this offseason will pan out, too.
Which ones? I liked these four, so let's geek out:
