2023 NFL offseason grades Ranking all 32 teams for their draft picks free-agent moves trades and more

2023 NFL offseason grades Ranking all 32 teams for their draft picks free-agent moves trades and more

The 2023 NFL offseason is not over yet. Even after the draft, all 32 teams will continue tweaking their lineups throughout the summer in the lead-up to the season. But we can safely say that most of the big-name movement is past, with everyone from prized free agents to first-round picks locked into revamped depth charts.So which teams can take pride in their makeovers? And which ones are still sorely lacking?Here, we're ranking all 32 teams according to all their offseason moves, with graded tiers -- A, B, C, D and F. This is a pecking order for the 2023 season. Some teams were far more talented going into free agency and the draft, and remain so. But if we were sorting clubs based purely on what's transpired since the new league year began, this is how we'd do it: 1 They addre sed glaring secondary holes both aggre sively and frugally, adding a trio of physical starters in CB , CB and S C.J. Gardner-Johnson for le s than $50M combined. Steven Matz Jersey is a fine lateral substitute for in the backfield. And retaining and ensures the rest of their "D" has fight. They drafted in an unorthodox way, prioritizing devalued positions early, but RB Jahmyr Gibbs adds a lot of electricity, and S Brian Branch and LB Jack Campbell should bring even more range to the defense.2 They haven't done enough to bolster their O-line, but ex-Ravens S is an underrated addition to an already-potent "D." and are decent, complementary bonuses for a deep WR corps. More importantly, in a league full of teams starving for difference-making QBs, they're getting a near-Tom Brady-level rental in Aaron Rodgers. Even with a steep price tag, it's a big win for a playoff-caliber roster; even Rodgers below MVP form -- for just a year or three -- is a major upgrade at such an important position.3 Losing WR D.J. Moore to move up in the draft robbed them of a building block, but they also guaranteed themselves a virtual total package at QB in No. 1 pick Bryce Young, suffering a net draft-capital lo s of just three picks -- one first, and two seconds -- to make that happen.is a perfectly reasonable mentor under center, RB is a smooth, if slightly expensive, fit under a sistant Duce Staley and both WR and TE are high-effort safety valves who should ease Young into the lineup under new coach Frank Reich. 4 Committing $90M+ to linebackers and was an odd use of resources considering they just dealt the superior because of his price tag, but there's no denying this team is much better acro s the board. QB finally has a legit No. 1 WR in thanks to their trade down from the No. 1 pick. OG should help up front. And both RB and TE should be rugged red-zone options. Getting a potential Day 1 starting RT in rookie Darnell Wright is a plus as well.5 Dedicating new money to old faithful like C , DE , DT and CB is bittersweet; most of the aging starters are still Pro Bowl-caliber, but GM Howie Roseman has fared better betting on ascending talent. Still, keeping CB to go with Slay is a victory at a reasonable price, QBis a better QB2 fit while sharing Jalen Hurts' mobility and RB is a bargain high-reward gamble. The draft is where they really won, adding Georgia teammates Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith and Kelee Ringo to their "D." 6 They probably could've matched what the Lions gave Cameron Sutton to keep an ascending starter at corner. But is a plug-and-play consolation prize after a Vikings renai sance; he should thrive alongside . Ex-Eagles OG is maybe their smartest bet, bringing a quietly sterling piece of Philly's vaunted line to defense. They also netted some good values in the draft in OTBroderick Jones, CB Joey Porter Jr. and TE Darnell Washington, who should pair with ex-Rams WRAllen Robinsonto give them quite a red-zone team.7 Did they outbid themselves for OT and OG ? Perhaps. But Sean Payton is right to reinvest in the trenches, seemingly shifting the offensive approach around the ground game that helped QB stay comfortable for so long in Seattle. Adding DL and retaining LB ensures the front seven still has pop. And you can do quite a bit worse than for an emergency backup/replacement QB.8 Your view of Big Blue's offseason depends almost entirely on what you make of QB . He may not yet be a sure thing as a downfield pa ser, but New York isn't ridiculously overpaying for an efficient, athletic, 25-year-old playoff winner under center; after inevitable extensions for elites like and Justin Herbert, his $40M per-year renewal might not even be a top-10 mark going into 2023. His new weapons, TE and WR , are big injury risks but clear upgrades. Ditto for rookie WR Jalin Hyatt. On the other side, LB Pete Alonso Jersey and first-round CB Deonte Banksshould help the middle and back end of the "D."9 The strategy from GM Nick Caserio hasn't been wholly different from recent years: Lots of rental deals for mid-tier veteran castoffs. This year's crop for new coach at least has some potential hidden gems to supplement an inevitable first-round QB: is a charismatic No. 2 under center, RB makes for nice relief, ex-Cowboys WR and TE at least have the skills to keep growing and Ryans' pupil should be a culture-builder as a utility man in the secondary. Their biggest gets, of course, came in the draft, where QB C.J. Stroud and DE Will Anderson Jr. have the potential to be franchise-changers.10 While the tied themselves to Daniel Jones, the are getting more wiggle room with their own 2022 breakout, wisely getting back at just $25M per year (15th among QBs) and giving him additional weapons in rookie WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and RB Zach Charbonnet. They also addre sed longstanding holes up front by wooing ex-Broncos DL to be Pete Carroll's defensive anchor alongside first-round CB Devon Witherspoon.11 OT Jr.is a clear upgrade on after an imperfect but solid run protecting , and he arrived at a significantly more reasonable number ($16M per year) than expected. But how much did the mask his flaws? Retaining tough LBwas smart, too, and they did a fair job addre sing free agent secondary lo ses by adding DJ Turner and Jordan Battle near the top of the draft.12 America's Team has been splashy without overspending, adding Brandin Cooks as a WR2 upgrade opposite CeeDee Lamb, Stephon Gilmore as a CB2 upgrade opposite Trevon Diggs, and tagging Tony Pollard to usher out the Ezekiel Elliott era. These are all short-term moves, but they all make sense for an annual playoff hopeful, raising the floor at premium Edwin Diaz Jersey positions. You just wish they got a bit more bang for their buck in the early parts of the draft.13 They're swinging big on Florida QB Anthony Richardson, who's seemingly got all the tools to be a superstar but enters without much polish as a pa ser for new coach Shane Steichen. WRIsaiah McKenzie is OK as a reserve, and ex-49er can start at pa s rusher. The $22M investment in K is even more iffy. But at least they have actual upside under center, as well as an explosive outlet in rookie WR Josh Downs, a potential early starter. 14 QB is a serviceably gutsy backup for , though Miami probably could've explored even better insurance considering its starter's serious medical history. The real wins are on defense, where Vic Fangio is now running the show: CB is a bona fide tone-setter who arrived for just a third-rounder and backup TE, giving the an elite cover duo. And ex-Titans LB should reinforce the second level provided he stays on the field. With just four picks in the draft, however, they didn't do a ton to addre s their long-term future. 15 They were never gonna be major free agency players after 2022's splash. But it's nice to have S , Buffalo's version of , back for another ride. RB is an underrated candidate for tough carries alongside , as is Latavius Murray. And WR is a slightly higher-octane substitute for the departed in a secondary role. Their top draft picks, TE Dalton Kincaid and OG O'Cyrus Torrence, also figure to make an early impact in starting-caliber roles.16 Not entirely di similar to the of last offseason, they came in with loads of cap space, and they're better after spending it. You just wonder if they could've done much better. QB is a likable rough-and-tumble alternative to but gets them no closer to a true answer under center. Rookie RB Bijan Robinson has the "it" factor but at a devalued position. Keeping OG is smart, but was it nece sary to reset the guard market on a $105M deal? The best bet is probably S Je sie Bates III, whose range offsets a curiously large investment in aging ex-Saints DT .17 Adding WR would make worlds of sense as a high-volume target for if he wasn't just a lateral fill-in for the departed . TE helps, of course, giving Jones an additional outlet. But they've still got i sues up front, where journeyman is their top new tackle, and probably didn't need to spend $4M per year on , considering already headlined their capable backfield. Fortunately they did find good value in the draft, adding both CB Christian Gonzalez and DL Keion White.18 The reunion with QB behind makes sense. Ditto for the extension of breakout C . They paid quite a bit for a run-stuffer in DT , and they're counting on younger vets like DE and S to reach new heights in new scenery. Swapping picks to land WR from the , however, was a creative way to bring some added juice opposite out wide. And their third-round addition of WR Cedric Tillman Jr. bolsters that position further.19 By themselves, QB , WR Jakobi Meyers and returning starters RB and OT are just fine, keeping the offensive floor relatively high after the dual exit of and Darren Waller. But unle s you consider Aidan O'Connell a feasible succe sor for the oft-injured Garoppolo, they'll probably remain in no man's land under Josh McDaniels. The infrastructure has changed, but how about the overall talent level beyond, say, first-round pa s rusher Tyree Wilson?20 At one point it felt like GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah had something grand up his sleeve. Or maybe that was just the hope, considering their offseason has been more about shedding aging favorites (WR Adam Thielen, LB , etc.) than building off Kevin O'Connell's debut. TE is a curious $7M annual investment as a backup to . But the low-risk, high-reward bets on DE and CB at least give the "D" fresher legs. And rookie WR Jordan Addison is an intriguing addition opposite Justin Jefferson.21 Their long-awaited trade of Aaron Rodgers projects as a rare win-win: It truly is time to see what has to offer, and the young gun flashed a live arm in relief of A-Rod in 2022. The unfortunate thing is, Green Bay's banking on a lot of young, unproven talent to upgrade Love's supporting cast, spending early-round picks on WR Jayden Reed and TEs Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft.22 They basically broke even up front, losing starting RT Mike McGlinchey but extending breakout Cafter their NFC title bid. But three other moves are worth mild celebrations: QBis an athletic emergency option behind and ; under Kyle Shanahan, he's surely better positioned than ever before. S's return should be welcome after an opportunistic 2022. And DTis a cherry on top of an already-relentle s pa s rush, fresh off his career year with the Eagles. The draft, on the flip side, was altogether uninspiring for them. 23 No one refuses to rebuild like the . New Tug McGraw Jersey QB Derek Carr is a gutsy leader who might have a deep playoff run in him, provided he's got an all-star setup a la with the 2021 . That he does not. New Orleans is e sentially just buying another year or three of wild card flirtation by doubling down on veterans like RB Jamaal Williams and WR , and the fact they spent their first two draft picks on "D" suggests Dennis Allen's old-school approach remains relatively intact.24 The cost of going all-in for for three years: A discarded is the chosen competition for at QB, is in tow as a fill-in and lots will be asked of Super Bowl holdovers LB and CB , who at least get an underrated addition in ex-Rams DT up front. They did nab some underrated trench pieces atop the draft in DT Calijah Kancey and OT Cody Mauch.25 The foundations are improving bit by bit: OT is a reasonably priced upgrade at right tackle after an underrated Chiefs run, OG adds competition on the interior, and DT 's extension ensures Ron Rivera's front will stay formidable. But then there's the latest, predictably middling QB swing: is a quality spot starter, but if his arrival spells the end of any splashier pursuit for competition, well, better luck next year.26 It's good they finally found common ground with QB Lamar Jackson, re-signing the former MVP to a long-term deal. And certainly their WR additions aren't nothing: veteran Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round pick Zay Flowersimprove the lineup. You just wish they could've gotten a bit more security there, as well as in a transitioning secondary, although adding Rock Ya-Sin is a good start.27 Their big makeover came a year ago. Keeping TE is smart considering how effectively he emerged as a outlet. Losing OT and pa s rusher isn't ideal, but they also didn't nece sarily need to match the price tags there. Keep in mind their biggest unofficial addition actually arrived during the 2022 campaign: WR , who's got the polish and speed to be a No. 1 alongside .28 Not a single one of their many veteran lo ses was egregious; in fact, they probably could've gone further, with both QB and RB well-trodden and expensive. But new GM Ran Carthon is taking some sensible low-risk, high-reward flyers at key spots in OT , OLB Arden Keyand CB . Early draft picks OT Peter Skoronski and QB Will Levis could prove to be great value selections, but the latter isn't nece sarily entering a prime environment Darryl Strawberry Jersey for growth, considering the OL uncertainty and lacking WR corps.29 Perhaps they were right to balk at LT Orlando Brown Jr.'s demands, but turning around and spending $20M per year on ex-Jaguar Jawaan Taylor, with apparent plans to move the former mid-tier starter to the left side, is risky. Adding electric LB is an underrated move for Steve Spagnuolo's "D," but they're also still lacking juice out wide for Patrick Mahomes, with both JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman landing elsewhere and only second-rounder Rashee Rice entering thus far.30 A mega extension for QB might salvage an otherwise ho-hum offseason, which was destined following their spending spree in 2022. LB Eric Kendricksmight be primed for a rebound behind their talented front, but he's not exactly a difference-maker at 31, either. Their first-round investment, WR Quentin Johnston, could be special, but he also feels a bit redundant with Mike Williams' skill set in their attack. Maybe he'll prove us all wrong.31 They must be saving their money for something. It's understandable they didn't wanna pay ma sive bucks to keep DL Zach Allen, or bid for CB Byron Murphy coming off injury, but that means Jonathan Gannon's inherited "D" is still devoid of many building blocks. WR and LB have followed Gannon from Philly, but they're role players at best. At least they're prioritizing the trenches in some sense, by drafting OT Paris Johnson Jr. early.32 Like the , they're simply paying for all their short-sighted spending. Their biggest additions are merely offensive starters coming back from injury: QB Matthew Stafford, WR , etc. Otherwise they've been content to sell, parting ways with Pro Bowl-caliber starters like CB Jalen Ramsey, OLB and LB .
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