Everything NFL offseason has good and bad moves, but sometimes they're not what we expected by the end of the year. Here's a look at every team's best and worst moves from the 2018 offseason.
First-round pick Josh Rosen is still a work in progress, but it looks like the Cardinals found their long-term replacement for Larry Fitzgerald in Kirk. The second-round pick suffered a broken foot in Week 13, but before that point, he had 43 receptions for 590 yards and three scores despite shaky quarterback play.
The logic behind the Bradford signing was sound, but the veteran was a complete disaster after signing a $20 million deal with the Cardinals to be a placeholder for Josh Rosen. He looked like a shell of his former self and was released after being benched for Rosen. Over three games, he threw four picks and had only 400 yards passing.
It looks like the Falcons have another star wideout on their hands. Ridley has emerged as Atlanta's No. 2 wideout behind Julio Jones after being drafted in the first round, with 96 receptions for 789 yards and nine touchdowns in 15 games.
Fusco struggled at guard after signing a three-year, $12.75 million contract, and his year ended in October with an ankle injury. It was a quiet offseason overall for the Falcons, and their lack of depth showed on the field.
Brown had struggled to stay healthy in Arizona recently due to complications from sickle cell anemia, so he came at a bargain on a one-year, $5 million contract. He's likely to get paid big after this season, becoming an accomplished deep threat again with 41 receptions for 708 yards and five scores (17.3 yards per reception) in 15 games.
It might not be too early to conclude Hurst, the 25th overall pick in the draft, is a bust considering that he's already 25 years old. The South Carolina alum started the year hurt and had only 10 receptions through 10 games, getting upstaged by fellow rookie tight end Mark Andrews.
The 16th overall pick in the draft, Edmunds easily leads his team in tackles and has also been a playmaker in coverage. Buffalo's identity is on the defensive side of the play, and Edmunds has a chance to be the face of the defense for a long time.
McCarron was one of many terrible moves in a very busy offseason for the Bills. He signed a two-year, $10 million contract in the offseason and was assumed to be the team's Week 1 starter. Instead, the former Bengals backup was traded to Oakland for a fifth-round pick before Week 1. The Bills went with Nathan Peterman to start the year, but he was historically bad before getting released. The team knew rookie Josh Allen wouldn't be ready, but the players deserved better than to be forced into this situation, effectively ending their season before it began.
Carolina made it a priority in the draft to find Cam Newton more weapons, and Moore has been as advertised. The 24th overall pick has been the team's top wideout with 51 receptions for 707 yards in 15 games, and he's also helped on the ground.
Carolina's defense regressed this season, and it wasn't just the loss of two defensive coordinators in two years. Poe has been a massive bust after signing a three-year, $27 million contract, recording only 17 tackles and one sack in his first 15 games.
Chicago had a busy and outstanding offseason, but it all started with the hire of Nagy. The former Chiefs offensive coordinator has transferred a stagnant offense and surprised everyone with an NFC North title.
Nagy learned firsthand how important great special teams is in Kansas City, but Chicago's kicking game has been far from it after signing Parkey to a four-year, $15 million contract last offseason. Through 15 games, he's made only 22 of 29 field goals, including some key misses. The Bears have stuck with him, but they might not feel comfortable with their kicking game entering the playoffs.
Glenn has struggled with injuries a bit this year, but there's no question his addition, along with first-round center Billy Price, has had an impact on Cincinnati's offensive line. The left tackle has helped Cincy's offensive line produce a 5.7 percent sack rate through 14 games, seventh-best in the league. That's a drastic improvement from 7.3 percent (21st) last year. Of course, the improved offensive line still couldn't keep Andy Dalton on the field.
Well, this one was more of a non-move, but still shocking and bad, nonetheless. After his second straight losing season, the Bengals kept Lewis around for 2018. The team is likely headed for their third straight losing season in what looks like a wasted year, and it would be even more shocking if Lewis is kept around for 2019.
It's hard to believe now that Mayfield's status as the top quarterback in the draft was controversial at the time. He's looked far more polished than the rest of the quarterback class, putting together an exemplary rookie season with more than 3,000 yards passing and 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his first 13 games. Browns fans finally have a quarterback.
Would Cleveland be in contention if they started the year with a different head coach? Probably not, especially considering how poorly Tyrod Taylor played to open the year. Still, the fact Browns ownership insisted on retaining Jackson after going 1-31 over the last two seasons was almost comical. He went 2-5-1 before getting the ax, and the team has a winning record without him.
At the time, taking Vander Esch 19th overall looked like the Cowboys were simply taking a need with Sean Lee aging. The Boise State alum has turned into a star for one of the league's top defenses, helping them hold teams to 3.7 yards per rush through 15 games, and Vander Esch has been a big part of that, leading the team in tackles.
After losing Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, Hurns was supposed to be Dallas' top receiving option. He signed a two-year, $12 million contract but has done almost nothing with 19 catches in 15 games. His struggles were one reason the team traded a first-round pick for Amari Cooper.
Royce Freeman was supposed to be C.J. Anderson's replacement at running back after being drafted in the third round, but another rookie jumped him on the depth chart. Lindsay has been a revelation after signing with his hometown team after an accomplished career at Colorado. Though his season ended a week early due to a wrist injury, through 15 games, he's a legitimate Rookie of the Year candidate with more than 1,200 yards from scrimmage and 5.4 yards per carry. That said, Denver's entire draft looks solid in retrospect, with strong contributions from Bradley Chubb, Courtland Sutton, Freeman, Isaac Yiadom and DaeSean Hamilton.
The Broncos wanted to add stability after their struggles at quarterback last season. There's no question Keenum has been an improvement but certainly not worth his two-year, $36 million contract. The former Vikings quarterback could cost head coach Vance Joseph his job after averaging only 6.7 yards per pass attempt with 17 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 15 games. It would be a surprise if the Broncos didn't draft another quarterback this offseason.
Kennard was a solid foot for Matt Patricia's defense coming over from the Giants, and he led the team with seven sacks through 14 games. With pass-rushers at a premium, his three-year, $18.75 million contract looks like a bargain.
Blount had a big game on Thanksgiving but has otherwise looked done this year. Through 15 games, the veteran running back has only 403 yards on 143 rushes (2.8 yards per carry) and hasn't been an adequate replace for injured rookie Kerryon Johnson.
Alexander is one of several impact players from this year's draft for Green Bay. The first-round pick has had some hiccups, but he's certainly helped the Packers secondary and also been a strong tackler with 62 tackles in his first 12 games.
Graham has been Green Bay's second leading receiver, but the team needed more after signing him to a lucrative three-year, $30 million contract. The tight end has failed to replace the production lost when the Packers let Jordy Nelson walk, with 52 receptions for 615 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games.
Mathieu's one-year, $7 million contract looked like a low-risk move for the safety to revitalize his career, and he's done just that in Houston. The former Arizona Cardinals star is tied for third on the team in tackles and has added two picks and three sacks through 15 games. Most importantly, he's remained healthy all season.
Houston isn't at fault for Henderson's Week 1 fractured ankle, but his one-year contract to play right tackle didn't work out for the team. On the bright side, the offensive line has improved this year with the additions of free agent guards Zach Fulton and Senio Kelemete.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard deserves an award for his offseason. Almost everything he touched turned to gold, with what looks like possibly a historically great draft, the fallback hiring of head coach Frank Reich and signing Ebron. The former Lions tight end has been a go-to receiver for Andrew Luck, ranking second on the team in receptions and yards while catching 12 touchdowns in his first 15 games. That's quite a bargain for only two-years, $15 million.
Grant settled with Indy on a one-year, $5 million contract after failing his physical in Baltimore. Indy probably should have taken Baltimore's lead, as Grant only has 34 receptions for 330 yards through 13 games played.
Norwell got a massive five-year, $66.5 million contract with the Jaguars, only to suffer a season-ending ankle injury in November. He still did a fine job at guard up to that point in 11 games, and the former Panthers lineman gives the team some long-term beef for a team that's built its identity around running between the tackles.
Jacksonville was in a bad situation, clearly not quite sold on Bortles but also seeing him play well in the playoffs last season. They signed him to a three-year deal with more than $26 million guaranteed. In retrospect, the move was a huge mistake, but it wasn't the only reason the Jaguars had a terribly disappointing 2018 season. Jacksonville will likely cut Bortles this offseason and find a replacement at quarterback after benching him for Cody Kessler.
No offense to Smith, but K.C.'s move shortly after the 2017 season ended to get Patrick Mahomes in the starting lineup was a no-brainer. Mahomes has gone on to have an MVP-caliber season, and Fuller has been the team's best cornerback. The Chiefs also got a draft pick out of the deal in 2019.
You can hardly blame the Chiefs for wanting to surround first-year starter Patrick Mahomes with the best weapons possible, but the Watkins deal is looking like an expensive mistake. He was the most expensive wideout on the market, signing a three-year, $48 million contract, but he played only 10 games in the regular season due to more foot problems. The Chiefs offense has been fine without him, and the money certainly would have been better utilized on defense.
The 17th pick in the draft out of Florida State, James has already become an elite NFL safety. James leads his team in tackles and has had 3.5 sacks and three picks in 15 games. He's also done a phenomenal job in coverage.
Kicker has been a black hole for the Chargers in recent seasons, and that continued with Sturgis. After signing a two-year deal, he made only nine of his 13 field-goal attempts. The team turned to rookie Mike Badgley and is having much better results.
The Rams paid dearly for Cooks, sending New England their first-round pick, but the deal has worked out well for them. He's improved what was already a good offense with 75 receptions for 1,142 yards and three scores in 15 games.
Peters was a legitimate No. 1 wideout in Kansas City but wore out his welcome last season. The price of a second- and fourth-round pick seemed very reasonable for his services, but Peters has really struggled this season likely due in part to a calf injury. Usually a takeaway machine, Peters has only three picks and no forced fumbles or recoveries through 15 games while also getting picked on in the passing game.
At the time, Miami's signing of Gore seemed curious with Kenyan Drake showing flashes as the starting running back last season. However, the ageless Gore became the team's primary running back with 156 carries for 722 yards in 14 games. Unfortunately, his season ended early due to a foot injury.
Sitton signed a two-year, $15 million contract to start at guard, only to suffer a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 1. The veteran has had major injury issues in recent seasons.
Richardson has been solid after signing a one-year, $8 million contract with the Vikings in the offseason. He's done an excellent job plugging the run and also has 4.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in 15 games.
Cousins has actually had a solid year, but is he worth the $84 million over three years that the Vikings are paying him? The team has regressed this season overall, and the yards per pass attempt has declined from 7.5 to 7.2. That's not all due to Cousins, but the team expected big improvement on offense this season, and he hasn't delivered, averaging fewer points than last season.
While Patterson's contribution hasn't been great on the stats sheet, it's fair to wonder where the team would be without him. The former first-round pick has made key contributions in games as both a wideout and running back. With the Patriots struggling to stay healthy at both positions, Patterson has done more than his fair share and has also done a great job returning kicks, as usual.
Clayborn was New England's big-money signing in a relatively quiet offseason, signing a two-year, $12 million deal. The former Falcon hasn't done much for his new team, with only 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks through 15 games and finishing with 9.5 sacks last season.
The Saints defense has taken another step forward this season, and Davis has been a big reason. The former Jets linebacker leads New Orleans in tackles and also has five sacks in 15 games. He looks like a bargain after signing a three-year, $24 million contract.
Meredith returned from a torn ACL to sign a two-year deal with the Saints, but he did almost nothing in six games before needing another knee surgery. It remains to be seen if Meredith will be on the roster come next year.
It was a controversial decision when the Giants took Barkley second overall instead of Sam Darnold. Time will tell if it was the right decision, but we can't fault Barkley for the way he's played. He has more than 1,800 yards from scrimmage through 15 games, and at times, he has been the only thing moving in the struggling Giants offense.
The Giants desperately needed to improve their offensive line in the offseason, but Solder looks like a blue-chip bust. The left tackle signed a four-year, $62 million contract, but Eli Manning has often been left running for his life while Solder has been clearly beaten in some high-profile matchups this season. The line has allowed sacks on 8.3 percent of dropbacks, 11th-worst in the league.
The Jets run defense has regressed slightly this year, but Williamson has done a solid job at linebacker. He signed a three-year, $22.5 million contract in the offseason after coming over from Tennessee and easily leads the team in tackles, while adding three sacks, one interception and two forced fumbles in 15 games.
Johnson has had an injury-plagued first season with the Jets after signing a five,-year, $72.5 million contract in the offseason. The cornerback does have four picks in 10 games, but his play hasn't matched his salary due to injuries.
Whitehead easily leads Oakland in tackles. The team has regressed against the run due in large part to a poor defensive line, but Whitehead has delivered on his three-year, $18 million contract.
It's no wonder the Raiders have struggled this season given their series of terrible offseason moves, and the inexplicable Bryant trade leads the way. Oakland gave Pittsburgh a third-round pick for Bryant, only to see the former star wideout struggle in the preseason and get released before Week 1. He was re-signed but had only 19 receptions in eight games before getting suspended indefinitely for his third ban under the league's substance-abuse policy. His NFL career could be over.
The Eagles defense has had its share of injuries, but Bennett has been an excellent addition. The former Seahawks stud has been dominant at times with eight sacks in 15 games, along with 12.5 tackles for loss.
The addition of Wallace as Philadelphia's third wideout in place of Torrey Smith looked like an upgrade, but he didn't have a catch in the first two games of the season before suffering a fractured fibula. Philly didn't lose much in the deal, paying Wallace only $2.5 million, but this was more of an opportunity cost for the team.
Samuels was a fifth-round pick out of NC State who's paying off big late in the year. The versatile offensive player has settled at running back full time and was key to the team beating New England in Week 15, with 19 carries for 142 yards.
The Steelers thought they'd shore up their secondary by adding Burnett on a three-year, $14.5 million contract, but the safety has struggled to remain on the field due to injury. The signing hasn't worked out as hoped thus far.
While Sherman isn't quite the same cornerback he was at his peak, he's having a solid year at cornerback for the 49ers. He looks like a relative bargain on a three-year, $21 million deal.
McKinnon suffered a torn ACL just before the season began after signing a curiously expensive four-year, $30 million contract in the offseason. The 49ers probably regret the contract, not only because of the injury but also Matt Breida's breakout season with 5.3 yards per carry through 14 games. Breida could remain the starter next season.
A huge defensive back out of Oklahoma State, Flowers has emerged as a starting corner for Seattle after being drafted in the fifth round. He's done a great job given the circumstances, third on the team with 64 tackles in 14 games while playing solid in coverage. Flowers does lack ball skills, but he looks like a major steal.
Dickson signed a three-year, $14 million contract with Seattle in the offseason as the team tried to find a replacement for Jimmy Graham. He's done almost nothing for the team, with only 12 receptions and limited snaps in nine games.
For the cost of a third-round pick and change, Pierre-Paul has been a great value for the Bucs. They looked to ramp up their terrible pass rush from last season, and Pierre-Paul has certainly helped with 11.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss and 54 tackles in 15 games.
Curry was the other move the Bucs made to improve their pass rush, but this one hasn't worked out. After coming over from Philadelphia on a three-year, $27 million contract, Curry has been a bust for the Bucs with only 2.5 sacks and 19 tackles in 11 games.
Lewis is averaging only 3.3 yards per carry through 15 games, but his addition on a four-year deal has added some much-needed versatility to the Titans offense. He has nearly 900 yards from scrimmage through 14 games, becoming a key receiver with the loss of tight end Delanie Walker in Week 1.
Despite sitting during the Super Bowl, Butler was given a five-year, $61 million contract by the Titans. The former Super Bowl hero has been beaten regularly in his first season with his new team, though he does have 63 tackles and three picks in 15 games.
The signing of Peterson was an emergency in mid-August after draft pick Derrius Guice was lost for the year. He's looked revitalized with his new team this season as a 33-year-old, rushing for 1,042 yards and seven scores (4.2 yards per carry) in 15 games.
Richardson signed a huge five-year, $40 million contract to help stretch the field in Washington. He didn't do that in the seven games he played before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, with only 20 catches for 262 yards. Washington desperately needs Richardson to improve next season.
Seth Trachtman is a fantasy sports expert and diehard Kansas City Chiefs fan. He doesn't often Tweet, but when he does, you can find him on Twitter @sethroto.
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