Since the free agency period started on March 10th, a vast amount of moves have made that could potentially shift the balance of power in the NFL for the 2015 season. Now that a majority of the big names that hit the open market are off the board, it's time to reflect on what teams haven gotten better, what teams didn't make enough moves and what teams handed-out ill-advised contracts in a desperate attempt to improve over the past nine days. Here are my picks for winners and losers for the 2015 NFL Free Agency period.
Best individual move: Ndamukong Suh to the Miami Dolphins:
Yes, the Dolphins threw an absurd amount of money at Ndamukong Suh (six years/$114 million/$60 mil guaranteed). Yes, they're perhaps relying a little too heavily on this one move to make them a contender and gloss over their other deficiencies as a team. That being said, Suh is the undisputed best defensive tackle in the NFL and he should prove to be well worth his mega contract. Suh gives the Dolphins an immediate solution to the run defense woes that plagued their team a year ago while also adding a skilled interior pass-rusher to complement their pass-rushing specialist defensive ends Cameron Wake and Oliver Vernon. Aside from J.J. Watt, there's not a more dominant defensive lineman in the NFL than Suh and putting him alongside the Dolphins established defensive playmakers (Wake, Vernon, cornerback Brent Grimes and safety Reshad Jones) is bound to get this team one step closer to their goal of stopping the New England Patriots' reign of terror on the AFC East.
Honorable Mentions: Mike Iupati to the Arizona Cardinals, Darrelle Revis to the Jets, Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks, Jeremy Maclin to the Chiefs
Worst individual move: Brian Orakpo to the Tennessee Titans
There's no question that outside linebacker Brian Orakpo can play. He's finished the regular season with at least eight sacks four times and been to three Pro Bowls in his six-year career in the NFL. The problem is that Orakpo is an injury-prone player (he's torn his pectoral muscle three times since entering the league in 2009) and is turning 29 before the 2015 season starts. With his status as a high risk/high reward player, Orakpo seemed like the perfect contender for a one-year "prove it deal" teams like to hand out to gifted players with lengthy injury histories. The Titans apparently haven't heard of these low-risk deals (which is really ironic because Orakpo's most recent pectoral tear came in a game against them last season), and proceeded to hand the frequently injured ex-Redskins star a four-year/$32 million contract. I understand that the Titans have a talent-barren roster and they want to turn things around as soon as possible, but handing an injury-prone player like Orakpo a multi-year deal worth a solid amount of money is a move that could backfire majorly.
Dishonorable Mentions: Dwayne Harris to the Giants, Charles Clay to the Bills, C.J. Spiller to the Saints, Josh McCown to the Browns
Winners of free agency: St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams have drafted a number of very gifted players since head coach Jeff Fisher and general manager Les Snead arrived in 2012, but it hasn't been enough to get them to the promised land of the playoffs. This offseason the Rams strayed from their strictly "draft and develop young talent" model and went out and grabbed some veteran talent to complement the talented young nucleus they've assembled over the past few years. The Rams went out and traded long-time (and frequently injured) starting quarterback Sam Bradford to the Philadelphia Eagles for promising up-and-coming gunslinger Nick Foles on the first day of free agency then added even more pieces to their already loaded defensive front by adding defensive tackle Nick Fairley- who's one of the best defensive tackles in the league when he's on- and highly underrated outside linebacker Akeem Ayers to their ranks late last week. With their aggressive, savvy moves in free agency, the Rams appear to be set to make the leap from a team that's on the cusp of making the playoffs to legitimate playoff contenders in 2015.
Honorable Mentions: Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks
Losers of free agency: San Francisco 49ers
This offseason has been nothing short of a nightmare for the 49ers. Not only has the team endured the surprise retirements of inside linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland- who appeared to be the future of this defense after an excellent rookie campaign in 2014, they've also lost key contributors such as running back Frank Gore, guard Mike Iupati, cornerbacks Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox, and outside linebacker Dan Skuta in free agency. The blow of those losses has been somewhat softened by the signings of underrated wideout Torrey Smith and versatile albeit oft-injured veteran running back Reggie Bush, but even the signings of these gifted players can't detract from how much worse the 49ers have gotten as team in just a couple of weeks. New head coach Jim Tomsula is going to need to make a Herculean effort to stop the bleeding and extinguish the dumpster fire the 49ers have suddenly become after appearing in three NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl from 2011-13.
Dishonorable Mentions: New England Patriots, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, New York Giants
Most surprising trade/signing: Jimmy Graham traded from the New Orleans Saints to the Seattle Seahawks
There's a been lot of "OH MY GOD DID THIS REALLY HAPPEN?" moves this offseason, but none incited more genuine shock in me than the Saints decision to deal their elite tight end Jimmy Graham to the Seattle Seahawks. Graham just signed an extension with the Saints last season and has been the longtime favorite target of quarterback Drew Brees in their pass-heavy system. Making the move that much more shocking is the fact that the Saints don't have anyone on their roster to replace Graham's role as the offense's top vertical threat and they traded him to the Seahawks, who are the team the Saints and the rest of the NFC are trying to knock off the throne right now after winning two straight conference titles. I highly doubt the epic shock levels this move caused will die down until the season starts.
Honorable Mentions: Haloti Ngata traded from the Baltimore Ravens to the Detroit Lions, LeSean McCoy traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Buffalo Bills for Kiko Alonso, Nick Foles traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the St. Louis Rams for Sam Bradford
Most surprising release: Brandon Browner from the New England Patriots
It was pretty much a lock that Darrelle Revis was not going to have his $20 million option picked up by the Patriots for the 2015 season. However, the Patriots decision to not exercise the $5 million option on Brandon Browner, their other starting cornerback in 2014, is downright shocking. Browner seemed to be good graces with the organization all season long, had an uncontested job as a starter and was beloved by the fanbase for the physicality he brought to the secondary. The timing of Browner's release made this even more surprising, as he was let go by the Patriots less than 24 hours after Revis signed with the Jets. Now that Revis and Browner are both out of the picture, the Patriots secondary is going to be entering a mysterious and potentially shaky new chapter in the upcoming season.
Honorable Mention: Andre Johnson from the Houston Texans
Best player left on the market: Michael Crabtree, wide receiver
In an offseason where wide receivers have been coming off the board at seemingly record pace, Michael Crabtree has had no serious suitors. While he's coming off a very disappointing 2014 campaign with the 49ers, Crabtree was quite productive in 2012 and 2013 and is a top-notch possession receiver when healthy. Any team with a gap in their receiver depth chart would be wise to take a gamble on him.
Honorable Mentions: Stefen Wisnewski, center, Stevan Ridley, running back, Brandon Spikes, inside linebacker, Mason Foster, inside linebacker
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