Grading every AFC team after 1st wave of free agency
With more than a week of free agency in the rearview mirror, theScore dishes out grades for each team's activity so far.
AFC I NFCAFC WestDenver Broncos
Patrick McDermott / Getty Images Sport / Getty| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| RB Melvin Gordon | QB Joe Flacco |
| DT Jurrell Casey (trade) | CB Chris Harris Jr. |
| CB A.J. Bouye (trade) | FB Andy Janovich (trade) |
| S Justin Simmons (tag) | |
| C Graham Glasgow | |
| TE Nick Vannett |
The Broncos traded for Casey and Bouye to add significant defensive reinforcements, only giving up a seventh-round pick for the former and a fourth-rounder for the latter. The five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle is a great addition alongside pass-rushers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb.
Denver also acquired some help for second-year quarterback Drew Lock with two major moves - one of which was far better than the other.
Glasgow received a big payday ($44 million over four years) after not allowing a sack for the Lions last season. His pass-protection skills and versatility are sorely needed on an offensive line that's struggled for years.
Gordon, on the other hand, is a waste of resources. Phillip Lindsay produced back-to-back 1,000-plus-yard seasons and will only make $750,000 in 2020 as an undrafted running back. Lindsay's backup, former third-rounder Royce Freeman, has disappointed through two seasons. But the Broncos could've found an upgrade without shelling out $16 million over two years for Gordon, essentially negating the value of a cheap starter at the position.
Grade: B
Kansas City Chiefs| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| DT Chris Jones (tag) | DE Emmanuel Ogbah |
| RB Damien Williams (option) | |
| OT Mike Remmers | |
| QB Chad Henne | |
| DT Mike Pennel | |
| QB Jordan Ta'amu |
With little cap space, the reigning Super Bowl champions have been quiet to begin free agency.
The Chiefs' only major move thus far was slapping the franchise tag on Jones. The defensive tackle was key to Kansas City's title run, and he likely would've been the most sought-after free agent if allowed to hit the open market. Working out an extension to lower Jones' cap hit and free up money to help their title defense should be the Chiefs' top priority.
Picking up Williams' option was a no-brainer after his standout performances. Remmers, meanwhile, will replace Cameron Erving as the swing tackle, and former XFL star Ta'amu should provide solid competition for Henne's backup job.
Grade: C-
Las Vegas Raiders| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| LB Cory Littleton | S Karl Joseph |
| QB Marcus Mariota | |
| CB Eli Apple | |
| TE Jason Witten | |
| WR Nelson Agholor | |
| LB Nick Kwiatkoski | |
| DE Carl Nassib | |
| DT Maliek Colllins |
Head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock continued to remake the Raiders' roster in their image with an aggressive start to free agency.
Littleton is the big prize. Las Vegas signed the linebacker, who excels in coverage, to a three-year, $35.25-million deal that was cheaper than most projected. Adding the former Rams standout along with Kwiatkoski all but fixes the Raiders' biggest weakness.
The AFC West team took some intriguing low-risk, high-reward swings on Agholor, Collins, Apple, and, most notably, Mariota. At worst, those moves will give the Raiders some much-needed depth. The biggest blemish on Las Vegas' offseason so far is the team's decision to guarantee $3.5 million to a 37-year-old Witten just to back up breakout star Darren Waller.
Grade: B+
Los Angeles Chargers| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| CB Chris Harris Jr. | QB Philip Rivers |
| TE Hunter Henry (tag) | OT Russell Okung (trade) |
| G Trai Turner (trade) | RB Melvin Gordon |
| OT Bryan Bulaga | |
| DT Linval Joseph | |
| RB Austin Ekeler (re-sign) |
The Rivers era is over for the Chargers, and it's not clear what the plan is moving forward. The team says it's happy with Tyrod Taylor for 2020, but with its desperate need to make cultural inroads and grow the fan base in Los Angeles, the team must add a more exciting quarterback. The best options seem to be either signing Cam Newton or using the sixth overall pick on Justin Herbert.
Whoever lines up at quarterback should benefit from improved protection thanks to the additions of Turner and Bulaga, though losing Okung to land the former means left tackle is now a major need. The Chargers did the right thing elsewhere by re-signing Ekeler, who caught 92 passes in 2019, over Gordon.
Harris is still a top-tier slot cornerback, and signing the veteran means Los Angeles can field one of the league's most imposing secondaries. Tagging Henry, meanwhile, was the smart play given his untapped potential and long injury history. If the Chargers find a quarterback upgrade over Taylor, they'll have put together one of the league's best offseasons.
Grade: A-
AFC EastBuffalo Bills
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| WR Stefon Diggs (trade) | DE Shaq Lawson |
| CB Josh Norman | DT Jordan Phillips |
| DT Vernon Butler | LB Lorenzo Alexander (retirement) |
| DE Mario Addison | |
| LB A.J Klein | |
| S Jordan Poyer (re-sign) |
Signing receivers Cole Beasley and John Brown last offseason helped spark moderate improvement from Josh Allen in 2019. But the young quarterback still struggled to throw downfield despite his arm strength, and at times he clearly needed a No. 1 option in crucial situations. Enter former Vikings star Diggs.
While the bizarre DeAndre Hopkins deal makes it seem like Buffalo overpaid, the club actually snagged Diggs for a fair price, giving up the 22nd overall pick plus three mid- and late-round picks in 2020 and 2021. Moreover, the wideout carries a below-market $47.5 million over the last four years of his contract. The only issue is Diggs' history of publically airing his frustrations with Kirk Cousins. Imagine how he'll react to Allen's erratic accuracy.
Elsewhere, the Bills retooled their defensive line after losing two key contributors. They also took a low-risk gamble that Norman can find the fountain of youth under head coach Sean McDermott, his former defensive coordinator.
Grade: B
Miami Dolphins| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| CB Byron Jones | S Reshad Jones |
| LB Kyle Van Noy | |
| RB Jordan Howard | |
| DE Shaq Lawson | |
| G Ereck Flowers | |
| DE Emmanuel Ogbah |
Miami has been one of the big spenders during the early portion of free agency, dropping nearly $220 million to snag Jones, Van Noy, Howard, Lawson, Flowers, and Ogbah. Jones is the marquee signing and eats up $82.5 million of that spending.
The Dolphins made the ex-Cowboys standout the league's highest-paid cornerback, and he'll form a scary combo with Xavien Howard, who previously held that distinction. Paying $31 million per year to your top two cornerbacks is a nearly unprecedented strategy. But after New England's defense dominated opponents by prioritizing pass coverage over pass rushing in 2019, it's easy to follow Miami's logic.
The rest of the Dolphins' work has been mixed. Lawson is a solid pass-rusher, and paying $10 million per season to see if the 25-year-old has more untapped potential is a risk worth taking. The same goes for Ogbah, who cost $7.5 million. But the expensive Van Noy might just be a product of Bill Belichick, Flowers is nowhere near worth $10 million annually, and giving anything of significance to a running back is never a smart idea, especially one as limited as Howard.
Grade: B-
New England Patriots| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| G Joe Thuney (tag) | QB Tom Brady |
| S Adrian Phillips | LB Jamie Collins |
| S Devin McCourty | LB Kyle Van Noy |
| WR Matthew Slater (re-sign) | DT Danny Shelton |
| QB Brian Hoyer | S Duron Harmon (trade) |
| DT Beau Allen | K Stephen Gostkowski |
It's a new day in New England. You might have heard, but Brady is no longer a member of the Patriots, and the six-time Super Bowl winner's replacement remains unclear. Without Brady, New England faces a quarterback battle between Hoyer and 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham. Unless Belichick is gunning for Trevor Lawrence, signing or drafting another quarterback needs to happen.
Brady isn't the only significant loss for the Patriots. Belichick was never going to pay market value for Collins or Van Noy, but that doesn't mean the losses won't be felt in the center of New England's defense. In addition to quarterback, kicker has long been a position Belichick never needed to worry about. But with Gostkowski cut after 14 seasons, a new long-term solution is required.
Retaining both McCourty and Thuney boosts the Patriots' grade, and Belichick is sure to have a plan at quarterback. But until the head coach reveals that plan, it's hard to be happy with New England's offseason to date.
Grade: D+
New York Jets| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| OT George Fant | WR Robby Anderson |
| CB Pierre Desir | CB Maurice Canady |
| CB Brian Poole (re-sign) | |
| G Connor McGovern | |
| G Alex Lewis (re-sign) | |
| WR Breshad Perriman | |
| LB Jordan Jenkins (re-sign) |
Prioritizing improved protection for quarterback Sam Darnold was the right plan, but the Jets' execution of it has been underwhelming.
Fant has only started 16 games at offensive tackle and has never played like someone who's worth $10 million a season. The 28-year-old looked serviceable last year, but Darnold deserves better than serviceable protecting his blindside.
McGovern is a more proven player and an understandable signing for the Jets. He's expensive ($27 million over three years), but he allowed just one sack and had zero penalties for the Broncos in 2019. McGovern will give Darnold a reliable presence in the middle of the offensive line, and his ability to also play guard should be useful.
Some of New York's more shrewd decisions include bringing back a pair of useful defensive contributors in Jenkins and Poole on relatively cheap one-year deals. Scooping up Desir, who struggled with the Colts in 2019 but was above average the year before, and Perriman, who should mitigate the loss of Anderson, are decent moves, too.
Grade: C+
AFC NorthBaltimore Ravens
Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / Getty| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| DE Calais Campbell (trade) | DT Michael Pierce |
| DT Michael Brockers | S Tony Jefferson |
| LB Matthew Judon (tag) | G Marshal Yanda (retirement) |
| P Sam Koch (re-sign) | TE Hayden Hurst (trade) |
| S Chuck Clark (re-sign) | CB Brandon Carr |
| CB Jimmy Smith (re-sign) | DL Chris Wormley (trade) |
The Ravens pulled off one of the best moves of the offseason by trading just a fifth-round pick for Campbell. The pass-rusher will turn 34 before the start of the season, but he's still a difference-maker and will help fix Baltimore's most glaring flaw from a year ago. This is exactly the kind of aggressive move the AFC North champs should be making while Lamar Jackson is on his rookie deal.
The Ravens also got what is easily the better end of the Hurst trade, shipping out the underperforming former first-round pick and a fourth-rounder for a second and a fifth. Considering the poor trade returns for most teams this year, getting such strong compensation for a player with 43 catches in his first two seasons is a masterstroke.
Tagging Judon, the Ravens' sack leader in 2019, was a necessity even with the addition of Campbell. The defense did take a substantial hit with the loss of a premier run defender in Pierce, but Brockers should be able to fill his role and is a more versatile player.
Grade: B+
Cincinnati Bengals| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| DT D.J. Reader | OT Cordy Glenn |
| WR A.J. Green (tag) | CB Darqueze Dennard |
| CB Mackensie Alexander | G John Miller |
| CB Trae Waynes | |
| G Xavier Su'a-Filo |
The Bengals are widely expected to anoint Joe Burrow as their next franchise quarterback with the top pick in the draft, but they used the start of free agency to bolster the defense instead of finding help for the incoming rookie.
Reader earned the biggest payday. The former Texans nose tackle got $53 million over four years - a massive investment for a position considered to be one of the least valuable. Reader made leaps and bounds in his progression as a pass-rusher in 2019, which likely helped his market. But it's his run-defense skills that will help Cincinnati most after the team ranked last in rushing yards allowed last season.
The Bengals also bolstered their secondary, signing two former Vikings in Waynes and Alexander. The former landed a top-five contract at his position despite having never played like a No. 1 corner, while the latter inked a one-year deal.
Burrow did get some good news with the team using the franchise tag to retain Green, but it's imperative Cincinnati inks the star receiver to an extension to ensure he's present for the rookie's early years.
Grade: C-
Cleveland Browns| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| OT Jack Conklin | LB Joe Schobert |
| TE Austin Hooper | LB Christian Kirksey |
| QB Case Keenum | S T.J. Carrie |
| S Karl Joseph | TE Demetrius Harris |
| RB Kareem Hunt (tender) | S Morgan Burnett |
| FB Andy Janovich (trade) | S Eric Murray |
| LB B.J. Goodson | |
| DT Andrew Billings | |
| CB Kevin Johnson | |
| S Andrew Sendejo |
After a hugely disappointing 2019, the Browns worked aggressively to upgrade their offense. On the first day of the legal tampering period, they agreed to make Hooper the league's highest-paid tight end and give Conklin $42 million over three years.
Will both players be upgrades for Cleveland? Most likely. But there's a chance the AFC North team paid premium prices for less-than-premium players; Hooper isn't a big-play weapon and Conklin has struggled in pass protection before. Still, it's hard to criticize the Browns too harshly for trying to help Baker Mayfield as much as possible.
On defense, Cleveland allowed Schobert to walk after balking at his asking price and signed Goodson as a replacement. The former is the better player and was the Browns' leading tackler in 2019, but his skills aren't enough to outweigh the value of the latter on a one-year deal.
Grade: B-
Pittsburgh Steelers| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| LB Bud Dupree (tag) | DT Javon Hargrave |
| TE Eric Ebron | LB Mark Barron |
| G Stefen Wisniewski | LB Anthony Chickillo |
| DL Chris Wormley (trade) | S Sean Davis |
| FB Derek Watt |
The Steelers usually don't jump into the frantic early portion of free agency, and this year was no exception. Aside from Ebron, Pittsburgh has yet to make a splash ahead of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's return from injury.
Ebron joins Vance McDonald to give Pittsburgh a top tight-end duo. The former Colts standout shouldn't be expected to replicate his 13 touchdowns from a Pro Bowl year in 2018, but he's a great fit for the downfield-minded Roethlisberger and is only signed for $12 million over two years.
Pittsburgh's biggest loss is Hargrave, who blossomed in a diverse role following Stephon Tuitt's season-ending injury in October. But the Steelers will still field an imposing defensive line, which added some depth with the acquisition of Wormely.
Grade: C+
AFC SouthHouston Texans
Tim Warner / Getty Images Sport / Getty| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| RB David Johnson (trade) | WR DeAndre Hopkins (trade) |
| WR Randall Cobb | DT D.J. Reader |
| CB Bradley Roby (re-sign) | |
| CB Vernon Hargreaves (re-sign) | |
| S Eric Murray | |
| CB Phillip Gaines (re-sign) | |
| K Ka'imi Fairbairn (re-sign) |
The Texans entered the offseason without a first-round pick in this year's draft. Following the stunning trade of Hopkins to the Cardinals, Houston somehow still doesn't have one. It's not hyperbolic to say head coach and de facto GM Bill O'Brien concocted one of the worst transactions in NFL history.
Not getting a first for arguably the game's best receiver was already a bitter pill for Texans fans to swallow. Taking on Johnson's albatross of a contract as well should have them reaching for the pitchforks. Worse still, the running back is a shell of his former self and will likely only be good for a third-down receiving role (O'Brien also seems to have forgotten he traded a third-rounder for pass-catching back Duke Johnson last year).
The Texans bolstered their wideout group with Cobb, who bounced back during his lone season in Dallas and will be a solid complement to the deep threats of Will Fuller and Kenny Stills. But the veteran got $18.75 million guaranteed one year after landing a one-year, $5-million deal, and the Texans already had an underused slot receiver in Keke Coutee.
Houston did retain important members of its secondary, but even those positives are overshadowed by the loss of nose tackle Reader and a confusing overpay for Murray. All in all, it's easy to argue the AFC South champs had the worst start among AFC teams.
Grade: F
Indianapolis Colts| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| DL DeForest Bucker (trade) | OL Joe Haeg |
| QB Philip Rivers | TE Eric Ebron |
| OT Anthony Castonzo (re-sign) | QB Brian Hoyer |
| CB Pierre Desir |
The Colts made one splash that most saw coming (the addition of Rivers) and one that most didn't (the blockbuster trade for Buckner).
Signing the former Chargers quarterback makes a ton of sense on paper. Rivers worked with head coach Frank Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni in San Diego, only required a one-year, $25-million commitment, and is just one season removed from top-level play.
Buckner, meanwhile, fills the three-technique position that drives Indy's system, albeit at the steep price of the 13th overall pick. And convincing Castonzo to put off retirement and to return on a reasonable deal (relative to the contracts signed by offensive linemen on the open market) is one of the offseason's most underrated moves.
However, the Colts still have no long-term answer at quarterback and are now without a first-round pick. Moreover, while acquiring a 26-year-old All-Pro will undoubtedly make the defense stronger, it's questionable if Indy's roster is one impact player away from seriously competing in the AFC.
Grade: B-
Jacksonville Jaguars| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| LB Joe Schobert | QB Nick Foles (trade) |
| DE Yannick Ngakoue (tag) | DE Calais Campbell (trade) |
| TE Tyler Eifert | CB A.J. Bouye (trade) |
| CB Rashaan Mevin | DT Marcell Dareus |
| DE Rodney Gunter | TE Geoff Swaim |
The Jaguars smashed the reset button this offseason by trading or offloading key pieces of their formerly dominant defense along with last year's marquee free-agent signing.
While the logic of moving on from the likes of Campbell and Foles is understandable, Jacksonville's fire sale didn't produce significant assets - a fifth-round pick for Campbell and a fourth for each of Bouye and Foles. Getting any kind of compensation for the former Super Bowl MVP's bloated contract was a win, but overall, the Jaguars got pennies on the dollar for their best talent.
It's also hard to see the team's other moves as positives. Schobert is a solid linebacker, but $53 million over five years was an overpay at a position the AFC South team has already invested in (Myles Jack earns $14.25 million annually). The money would've been best spent elsewhere.
Finally, while tagging Ngakoue was a must, the young pass-rusher had made it clear he doesn't want to be in Jacksonville after years of watching the team mismanage its talent. His exit, whether via trade or as a free agent in 2021, appears inevitable.
Grade: D
Tennessee Titans| Key players signed | Key players lost |
|---|---|
| QB Ryan Tannehill (re-sign) | DT Jurrell Casey (trade) |
| RB Derrick Henry (tag) | OT Jack Conklin |
| LB Vic Beasley | QB Marcus Mariota |
| OT Dennis Kelly (re-sign) | TE Delanie Walker |
| LB Cameron Wake | |
| RB Dion Lewis | |
| K Ryan Succop |
The Titans went all-in on the backfield that led them to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 2002, and the decision wasn't cheap. Tannehill was rewarded for his Comeback Player of the Year campaign with a deal that made him the league's ninth-highest-paid quarterback, while Henry was hit with the $10.28-million franchise tag to become only the fourth running back in the NFL to earn more than $10 million.
While giving Tannehill $62 million in guarantees is a big commitment, the deal is essentially a two-year contract with a possible out in 2022 that would leave $10 million in dead money. A regression from Tannehill's spectacular play in 2019 should be expected, but it was the right call to choose the quarterback over the running back given the recent returns for teams that have paid up for the latter position (though an extension could still be coming for Henry).
Outside of their two big moves, the Titans shipped off Pro Bowler Casey to the Broncos for a shockingly small return (a seventh-rounder), lost starting right tackle Conklin to the Browns, cut ties with a host of former key players who no longer held important roles, and bolstered their pass-rush corps with the addition of former sack leader Beasley.
Grade: B-
Copyright (C) 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.