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You can access all individual NFL Free Agent Signing Grades via the link. Overall NFL Free Agent Team Grades will be posted below.
2022 NFL Free Agent Team Grades: NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: F
Acquired: WR James Washington, DE Dante Fowler.
Lost: WR Amari Cooper, WR Cedrick Wilson, OT La’el Collins, G Connor Williams, DE Randy Gregory, DT Carlos Watkins, LB Keanu Neal, S Damontae Kazee, K Lance Zuerlein.
The Cowboys entered free agency in a poor cap situation, so it’s not a surprise that they had to say goodbye to some key players. They began by trading Amari Cooper for late-round draft capital. Dak Prescott had better chemistry with CeeDee Lamb and Dalton Schultz, so if one of the top three weapons had to go, it was Cooper.
The offensive line, meanwhile, took a much greater hit. The blocking unit lost two starters, La’el Collins and Connor Williams. Both will sorely be missed. Prescott hasn’t played nearly as well when his offensive line has missed personnel, so it’s safe to expect him to decline in 2022.
Thus, Dallas’ offseason has to be graded poorly. The team did nothing to improve itself, yet lost four key players (Randy Gregory being the fourth). Luckily for the Cowboys, they should still win the miserable NFC East.
New York Giants: B
Acquired: QB Tyrod Taylor, RB Matt Breida, TE Ricky Seals-Jones, TE Jordan Akins, G Mark Glowinski, G Max Garcia, G Matt Gono, G/C Jon Feliciano.
Lost: FB Elijhaa Penny, TE Evan Engram, TE Kyle Rudolph, OT Nate Solder, G Will Hernandez, C Billy Price, DT Austin Johnson, DE/OLB Lorenzo Carter, CB James Bradberry, S/CB Logan Ryan, S Jabrill Peppers, P Riley Dixon.
The Giants had to make some improvements to their offensive line this spring, and they managed to acquire some decent talents. Mark Glowinski is the best of the bunch, and he’ll be a big upgrade at guard. Jon Feliciano also has upside at either guard or center, but he has missed 17 games in the past two seasons, so he’s not very reliable.
Meanwhile, the Giants haven’t lost much, at least not yet. They saw a couple of key players in the secondary depart, but they still have a talented defensive backfield. This could change if James Bradberry will be traded, as many have speculated.
Overall, this has been a fine offseason for the Giants. They were constricted with their cap situation, yet they made some needed upgrades at their weakest area.
Philadelphia Eagles: B-
Acquired: WR Zach Pascal, DE/LB Haason Reddick, LB Kyzir White, CB James Bradberry.
Lost: RB Jordan Howard, G Brandon Brooks, DE Ryan Kerrigan, LB Alex Singleton, CB Steven Nelson, S Rodney McLeod.
The Eagles haven’t had a very eventful free agency period. They signed Haason Reddick to help with their pass rush, but that was the only substantial move they made until adding Kyzir White. Their failure to upgrade their receiving corps means that they’ll have to address the position in the draft.
Philadelphia didn’t really improve its roster outside of the front seven, and it even made a mistake in re-signing the penalty-prone Derek Barnett. However, Reddick and White should definitely help a defense that had some major holes last year.
Washington Redskins: F
Acquired: QB Carson Wentz, WR Alex Erickson, G Andrew Norwell, G Trai Turner, DE Efe Obada.
Lost: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB Kyle Allen, TE Ricky Seals-Jones, G Brandon Scherff, G Ereck Flowers, DT Matt Ioannidis, CB Danny Johnson, S Landon Collins.
The Redskins always seem to make the wrong moves when a quarterback is involved, and this offseason was no different. They traded for Carson Wentz, surrendering too much draft capital for having to pay his entire salary. Wentz has been a shell of his former self since suffering a concussion from Jadeveon Clowney. If he couldn’t succeed with his former coach, Frank Reich, why would he thrive in Washington?
This offseason has to be deemed a failure. The Redskins seemed to have a chance to land Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or even Deshaun Watson, yet they came away with a horrible alternative. Meanwhile, they did nothing to improve their miserable secondary and thin receiving corps.
2022 NFL Free Agent Team Grades: AFC East
Buffalo Bills: A
Acquired: QB Case Keenum, RB Duke Johnson, WR Jamison Crowder, TE O.J. Howard, OT David Quessenberry, G Rodger Saffold, DE Von Miller, DE Shaq Lawson, DT DaQuan Jones, DT Jordan Phillips, DT Tim Settle.
Lost: QB Mitchell Trubisky, WR Emmanuel Sanders, WR Cole Beasley, G Jon Feliciano, DE Mario Addison, DE Jerry Hughes, DT Harrison Phillips, DT Star Lotulelei, LB A.J. Klein, CB Levi Wallace.
With all the quarterback moves occurring this offseason, it’s easy to forget what the Bills accomplished. They made a huge splash move in free agency by signing Von Miller. They already had the No. 1 pressure rate last year, and now they’re even going to have more success generating heat on the quarterback.
The Bills made other acquisitions to bolster the trenches. They signed Rodger Saffold, who figures to help Josh Allen’s protection. They also obtained some interior bodies to improve the run defense.
This was an excellent free agency period for Buffalo. With the Chiefs leaking oil, the Bills have arguably established themselves as the best team in the NFL.
Miami Dolphins: A
Acquired: QB Teddy Bridgewater, RB Raheem Mostert, RB Chase Edmonds, RB Sony Michel, FB Alec Ingold, WR Tyreek Hill, WR Cedrick Wilson, WR Trent Sherfield, OT Terron Armstead, G Connor Williams, DE Melvin Ingram, CB Keion Crossen.
Lost: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, RB Matt Breida, C Ted Karras, DE Shaq Lawson, DT Davon Godchaux, OLB Kyle Van Noy, OLB Kamu Grugier-Hill, S Bobby McCain, P Matt Haack.
It’s all up to Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins have given their young quarterback so much talent. The big move was trading for Tyreek Hill. Miami gave up lots of draft capital to pay Hill tons of money, but the result this year is that Miami will have the best receiving duo we’ve seen in a very long time in Hill and Jaylen Waddle. And yet, it goes far beyond that. Miami also signed Cedrick Wilson, who should be a solid third option. The Dolphins also retained Mike Gesicki and added Chase Edmonds as a receiving threat out of the backfield.
It would’ve been a huge mistake had the Dolphins added all these receiving threats without improving their dreadful offensive line. They managed to bolster their blocking with Terron Armstead and Connor Williams. Armstead is always a risk to get hurt, but he’s one of the top left tackles in the NFL when healthy. Williams will be a big upgrade at guard.
If Tagovailoa can make a big jump now that he’s another year removed from his hip injury, the Dolphins will be Super Bowl contenders this year. If Tagovailoa performs as he did in 2021, the Dolphins could still make the playoffs, but they’ll suffer a quick exit. Still, it’s difficult not to admire what they’ve accomplished this offseason. They’ve taken some major risks, but they almost needed to do so.
New England Patriots: D
Acquired: RB Ty Montgomery, LB Mack Wilson, CB Malcolm Butler, CB Terrance Mitchell, S Jabrill Peppers.
Lost: RB Brandon Bolden, FB Jakob Johnson, G Shaq Mason, G/C Ted Karras, DE Chase Winovich, LB Dont’a Hightower, LB Kyle Van Noy, LB Jamie Collins, CB J.C. Jackson.
All the Patriots did this offseason was downgrade a couple of positions. They possessed one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, J.C. Jackson, but watched him sign with the Chargers. They replaced him with Malcolm Butler, who is a shell of his former self. Meanwhile, the Patriots lost some linebackers and replaced them with the pedestrian Mack Wilson.
New England’s greatest losses were on the offensive line because the two blockers who departed weren’t replaced. The Patriots saw Shaq Mason and Ted Karras leave the team. Mac Jones will certainly miss them.
This was not a good offseason for the Patriots. It wasn’t bad enough for me to fail them, but they definitely won’t be as good next year as they were in 2021.
New York Jets: B
Acquired: TE C.J. Uzomah, TE Tyler Conklin, G Laken Tomlinson, DE Solomon Thomas, OLB Jacob Martin, CB D.J. Reed, S Jordan Whitehead, K Greg Zuerlein.
Lost: WR Jamison Crowder, TE Ryan Griffin, OT Morgan Moses, G Dr. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, G Greg Van Roten, DT Foley Fatukasi, LB Blake Cashman, S Marcus Maye.
The Jets had a mixed offseason. They found a solid upgrade on the offensive line by signing Laken Tomlinson. They also added two quality players in D.J. Reed and Jordan Whitehead to their putrid secondary. These three acquisitions ensure that the Jets will be better in 2022 than they were in 2021.
On the other hand, the Jets made the mistake of overpaying for two tight ends. The presence of C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin will help Zach Wilson, but New York paid way too much money to them. Still, it’s hard to really hate these signings because Wilson needed all the help he could get after his miserable rookie campaign, so I’m inclined to give the Jets a mostly positive grade.
2022 NFL Free Agent Team Grades: NFC North
Chicago Bears: F*
Acquired: QB Trevor Siemian, WR Byron Pringle, WR Equanimeous St. Brown, WR Dante Pettis, WR Tajae Sharpe, TE Ryan Griffin, TE James O’Shaughnessy, G Dakota Dozier, G/C Lucas Patrick, DE Al-Quadin Muhammad, DT Justin Jones, CB Tavon Young.
Lost: QB Nick Foles, WR Allen Robinson, OT Jason Peters, OT Germain Ifedi, OT Elijah Wilkinson, G James Daniels, DT Akiem Hicks, DT Bilal Nichols, DT Eddie Goldman, OLB Khalil Mack, LB Danny Trevathan, CB Artie Burns, KR Jakeem Grant.
If the Bears weren’t entering a complete rebuild, I would criticize them heavily for their offseason. They lost so many quality starters and failed to replace all of them. Their receiving corps, offensive line, defensive line and pass rush will all be substantially worse in 2022. Given that Chicago has no first-round pick this year, it’s difficult to imagine the team not having one of the worst records in the NFL this upcoming season.
That said, this all has to be part of the plan. The Bears had a mostly old roster that was going to be too past its prime by the time Justin Fields developed, so they almost had to start over. Thus, I’ll give their “F” grade an asterisk, though I won’t forget that they were bailed out by Larry Ogunjobi’s failed physical after they offered him way too much money.
Detroit Lions: D
Acquired: WR D.J. Chark, LB Chris Board, LB Jarrad Davis, CB Mike Hughes.
Lost: WR Josh Reynolds, OT Tyrell Crosby, DE Trey Flowers, LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin.
The Lions had a mostly uneventful free agency. They signed D.J. Chark to bolster their receiving corps and Mike Hughes to give them someone with some upside for the secondary, but that was about it. The only player of significance to depart was Trey Flowers, but he was constantly injured anyway.
Given that Detroit has the eighth-most cap space in the NFL, it’s disappointing that the Lions weren’t able to do more to improve their roster. It’s nice that they didn’t make any errors, but it’s not like they gave themselves a chance to commit a blunder.
Green Bay Packers: F-
Acquired: WR Sammy Watkins, DT Jarran Reed, P Pat O’Donnell.
Lost: WR Davante Adams, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, OT Billy Turner, OT Dennis Kelly, G Lucas Patrick, OLB Za’Darius Smith, CB Kevin King, P Corey Bojorquez.
I don’t understand what the Packers are doing. They had a choice entering this offseason: Would they retain Aaron Rodgers and attempt to win a Super Bowl or two over the next three years, or would they trade their legendary quarterback to begin anew with No Cookie Jordan Love? Both options seemed viable despite how No Cookie Love looked against the Chiefs last year. The Packers opted to keep Rodgers, meaning they had to do everything in their power to win now.
Except, they did the opposite. The Packers traded Davante Adams and then allowed Marquez Valdes-Scantling to walk. Rodgers lost his top two receivers, so his top option at the position right now is Allen Lazard. Rodgers can’t be thrilled with this horrible strategy, which must be graded extremely poorly.
Minnesota Vikings: D
Acquired: TE Johnny Mundt, OT Jesse Davis, DE Za’Darius Smith, DT Harrison Phillips, LB Jordan Hicks, CB Chandon Sullivan.
Lost: WR Chad Beebe, TE Tyler Conklin, C Mason Cole, DE Everson Griffen, DT Sheldon Richardson, LB Anthony Barr, CB Patrick Peterson, CB Mackensie Alexander, S Xavier Woods.
The name isn’t listed above, but the Vikings gave Kirk Cousins even more money this offseason. It’s unclear why they keep digging themselves into a deep hole with him. Sure, the division is bad, but Cousins is paid way too much to give the Vikings a fighting chance of going deep into the playoffs. He just eats too much of the salary cap to make huge improvements to the rest of the roster.
As you can see the Vikings didn’t add much talent. The lone exception is Za’Darius Smith, who is an excellent edge rusher when healthy. The problem is that Smith has back issues, so he may not be the same player in 2022. If so, Minnesota’s defense will really struggle this year.
I don’t think this is a failure of an offseason because Smith could really turn into an impact player for Minnesota. However, the Vikings still did poorly because they lost some key talent and prolonged the Cousins era.
2022 NFL Free Agent Team Grades: AFC North
Baltimore Ravens: C
Acquired: RB Mike Davis, OT Morgan Moses, DT Michael Pierce, S Marcus Williams.
Lost: RB Devonta Freeman, RB Latavius Murray, WR Sammy Watkins, C Bradley Bozeman, NT Brandon Williams, OLB Justin Houston, LB L.J. Fort, CB Tavon Young, CB Anthony Averett, S DeShon Elliott, P Sam Koch.
The Ravens had a mixed offseason. They signed some impactful players, including Marcus Williams, one of the best safeties in the NFL. They also beefed up the trenches with Morgan Moses and Michael Pierce. The former will be an upgrade at right tackle, while Pierce will act as a replacement for one of the departed free agents.
Speaking of departed free agents, the Ravens lost plenty of talent to the open market. There’s still a chance they could re-sign Calais Campbell and a couple of others, but Baltimore lost some quality talent, so this was not a very positive offseason for them.
Cincinnati Bengals: A+
Acquired: TE Hayden Hurst, OT La’el Collins, G Alex Cappa, C Ted Karras.
Lost: WR Auden Tate, TE C.J. Uzomah, OT Riley Reiff, G Quinton Spain.
Think the Bengals’ front office got the message when Joe Burrow was flat on his back on the most important play of the Super Bowl? It was apparent then that Cincinnati needed to drastically improve its offensive line. And that’s exactly what it did.
The Bengals got off to a good start in free agency by signing Alex Cappa and Ted Karras. The two interior blockers were bound to provide some nice upgrades, and yet, La’el Collins was the best signing of all. Collins is one of the top right tackles in the NFL, so his presence will be a huge boon for Burrow.
Cincinnati is getting a well-deserved A+ for its free agency haul. The team did exactly what it needed to accomplish, and in doing so, it gave itself a great chance to win the Super Bowl.
Cleveland Browns: B
Acquired: QB Deshaun Watson, QB Jacoby Brissett, WR Amari Cooper, WR Jakeem Grant, DE Chase Winovich, DT Taven Bryan.
Lost: QB Baker Mayfield*, QB Case Keenum, WR Jarvis Landry, WR Rashard Higgins, TE Austin Hooper, C J.C. Tretter, DE Takk McKinley, DT Malik Jackson, LB Mack Wilson, S M.J. Stewart.
The Browns made the boldest decision in free agency, opting to acquire Deshaun Watson for a huge package of draft picks, including three first-round selections. Watson is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, but it’s unclear how long he’ll be suspended for his alleged off-the-field issues. The deal could really backfire if Watson is suspended for a huge portion of the 2022 campaign.
If, however, Watson misses a handful of games at most, the Browns will have a good chance of winning the Super Bowl this year. Trading for Amari Cooper was key, though the Browns still have some needs they’ll need to address, including receiver and center. This is a problem, given that the Browns lost many of their draft choices in the Watson trade.
Pittsburgh Steelers: B
Acquired: QB Mitchell Trubisky, WR Gunner Olszewski, G James Daniels, C Mason Cole, LB Myles Jack, CB Levi Wallace.
Lost: QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR James Washington, TE Eric Ebron, G Trai Turner, LB Joe Schobert, CB Joe Haden.
The Steelers had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL last year, so they had to find numerous upgrades this spring. The problem was that they also had to replace the retired Ben Roethlisberger at the same time. Thus, Pittsburgh was expected to be busy in free agency.
Roethlisberger’s replacement for the short term will be Mitchell Trubisky, who has some upside. He’s expected to be an insurance policy for whichever quarterback the Steelers obtain in the 2022 NFL Draft. Blocking for Trubisky will primarily be James Daniels, who was an outstanding signing. Mason Cole was also added, but he’s far less exciting than Daniels.
I’d say the Steelers have enjoyed a solid offseason overall. I wish they had added one more blocker in free agency, but they did a good job for the most part.
2022 NFL Free Agent Team Grades: NFC South
Atlanta Falcons: D*
Acquired: QB Marcus Mariota, WR Auden Tate, WR Damiere Byrd, WR KhaDarel Hodge, TE Anthony Firkser, OT Germain Ifedi, OT Elijah Wilkinson, DE/OLB Lorenzo Carter, LB Rashaan Evans, LB Nick Kwiatkoski, CB Casey Hayward.
Lost: QB Matt Ryan, RB Mike Davis, WR Russell Gage, TE Hayden Hurst, DE Dante Fowler, LB Foyesade Oluokun, CB Isaiah Oliver, CB Fabian Moreau, S Duron Harmon, P Thomas Morstead.
The Falcons needed to blow up their roster last spring, but it’s better late than never. They traded Matt Ryan for a third-round pick, marking the end of an era.
If the rebuild wasn’t considered, this would be considered a disastrous offseason for the Falcons. I liked the Marcus Mariota and Lorenzo Carter signings, but Atlanta seems likely to have one of the worst records in 2022. However, this is planned, so I’m going to mark this grade with an asterisk, as I did with Chicago.
Carolina Panthers: C+
Acquired: RB D’Onta Foreman, G Austin Corbett, C Bradley Bozeman, DT Matt Ioannidis, LB Cory Littleton, LB Damien Wilson, CB Chris Westry, S Xavier Woods, P Johnny Hekker.
Lost: QB Cam Newton, RB Ameer Abdullah, G John Miller, C Matt Paradis, DT DaQuan Jones, DE/OLB Haason Reddick, CB Stephon Gilmore, CB A.J. Bouye.
This is a tricky grade. The Panthers made some nice decisions this offseason. The best thing they accomplished was bolstering their offensive line with two quality blockers, Austin Corbett and Bradley Bozeman. Obtaining Matt Ioannidis was a terrific move as well.
Unfortunately for the Panthers, there are some glaring negatives as well. They overpaid Donte Jackson, so they had to let a better cornerback, Stephon Gilmore, leave the team. More importantly, Carolina had a chance to acquire multiple franchise quarterbacks, yet they blew every opportunity. As it stands now, Sam Darnold is the projected starter, which is an absolute disaster.
Like I said, this is a tough grade. I’ve settled on a C+, which is a shame for the Panthers because what they did in the trenches should be commended.
New Orleans Saints: F
Acquired: QB Andy Dalton, WR Jarvis Landry, DE Taco Charlton, DT Kentavius Street, S Marcus Maye, S Tyrann Mathieu, S Daniel Sorensen, S Justin Evans.
Lost: OT Terron Armstead, LB Kwon Alexander, S Marcus Williams, S Malcolm Jenkins.
The Saints entered free agency in cap purgatory, so they had to lose some key players. Four starters departed, including one of the top left tackles and one of the best safeties in the NFL.
With Sean Payton and Drew Brees gone, it was clear that the Saints had to blow up their roster and begin a rebuild. Instead, they’re trying desperately to hang on to relevancy. They paid big money to Marcus Maye and re-signed Jameis Winston to a substantial contract. None of this will matter, as it’ll hurt more than help because the Saints won’t be good enough to win in the playoffs, but they won’t be bad enough to obtain one of the top draft choices.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B+
Acquired: WR Russell Gage, G Shaq Mason, S Logan Ryan.
Lost: RB Ronald Jones, WR Antonio Brown, TE Rob Gronkowski, TE O.J. Howard, G Ali Marpet, G Alex Cappa, DT Ndamukong Suh, DE/OLB Jason Pierre-Paul, CB Pierre Desir, S Jordan Whitehead.
A month prior to writing this, Tom Brady was expected to be the first name in the “Lost” row. Brady had retired, but that lasted only 40 days. He reversed his decision, allowing the Buccaneers to remain one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in the NFC.
The Buccaneers lost some key players this spring, including both guards, talented safety Jordan Whitehead, and of course, Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski. They’ve managed to find some replacements in Shaq Mason, Logan Ryan and Russell Gage who will fill in nicely. Gronkowski could still return to the team.
Given that Tampa Bay’s offseason was nearly a disaster, it should be graded highly. Most of this is because of Brady’s return, but the Buccaneers did well following Brady’s announcement.
2022 NFL Free Agent Team Grades: AFC South
Houston Texans: C-
Acquired: QB Kyle Allen, RB Dare Ogunbowale, G A.J. Cann, C Scott Quessenberry, DE Jerry Hughes, DE Mario Addison, DE/OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB Blake Cashman, S M.J. Stewart.
Lost: QB Deshaun Watson, OT Marcus Cannon, OT Geron Christian, G Lane Taylor, DT DeMarcus Walker, OLB Jacob Martin, S Justin Reid, S Lonnie Johnson.
Blegh. That’s how I would describe Houston’s free agency ventures. They did nothing of note, yet they lost one of their most talented defenders, as Justin Reid signed with the Chiefs.
On the plus side, the Texans were able to obtain three first-round picks for Deshaun Watson. Given that Watson wanted out of Houston, the team had to trade him. Being able to rebuild with three opening-round choices at least gives the Texans hope for the future. As you can tell, the Watson trade prevented the Texans from receiving a failing grade.
Indianapolis Colts: B
Acquired: QB Matt Ryan, RB Phillip Lindsay, OT Dennis Kelly, DE Yannick Ngakoue, CB Stephon Gilmore, S Rodney McLeod, S Armani Watts.
Lost: QB Carson Wentz, RB Marlon Mack, WR T.Y. Hilton, TE Jack Doyle, OT Eric Fisher, OT Sam Tevi, G Mark Glowinski, DE Al-Quadin Muhammad, CB Xavier Rhodes, CB Rock Ya-Sin.
The Colts didn’t sign a single free agent this offseason, yet they were able to greatly impact their roster for the better. They did this by participating in two trades, acquiring Matt Ryan and Yannick Ngakoue.
Ryan was obtained for a cheap price, considering that he’ll be a huge upgrade over Carson Wentz from a decision-making perspective. And speaking of Wentz, the Colts did very well to get rid of him without needing to pay any of his salary to the receiving team. Somehow, the Colts conned the Redskins into surrendering significant draft capital for him.
Ngakoue, meanwhile, will help a pass rush that was ranked last in pressure rate. All of this is great, though the Colts were docked some points for losing two starting offensive linemen and not replacing them.
Jacksonville Jaguars: F
Acquired: WR Christian Kirk, WR Zay Jones, TE Evan Engram, G Brandon Scherff, DT Foley Fatukasi, LB Foyesade Oluokun, CB Darious Williams.
Lost: RB CarlosoWR D.J. Chark, G Andrew Norwell, G A.J. Cann, C Brandon Linder, DE Arden Key, DT Jihad Ward, LB Myles Jack, LB Damien Wilson.
The Jaguars entered free agency with so much promise. They had boatloads of money to spend in an attempt to improve the talent around Trevor Lawrence. Unfortunately for Lawrence, his front office let him down with so many poor decisions.
The primary blunder was giving Christian Kirk an obscene amount of money. Kirk is a solid receiver, but the Jaguars drastically overpaid him. Jacksonville also gave Brandon Scherff way too much cash in a 3-year deal worth about $15 million per season. Scherff will be worth it if he can help protect Lawrence, but he has missed plenty of action due to injury.
The Jaguars overpaid some other players, only really getting a bargain with Evan Enram. This was such a huge disappointment, based on what could have been. Lawrence’s teammates have improved, but the Jaguars only made minimal upgrades throughout the roster.
Tennessee Titans: C+
Acquired: RB Trenton Cannon, WR Robert Woods, TE Austin Hooper, OT/G Jamarco Jones.
Lost: WR Julio Jones, TE MyCole Pruitt, OT David Quessenberry, G Rodger Saffold, LB Jayon Brown, CB Janoris Jenkins.
The Titans earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture last year, yet it didn’t matter because they lost their first postseason game. Ryan Tannehill was a disaster, so the Titans had to upgrade their passing attack.
Tennessee’s trade for Robert Woods was excellent, as the team surrendered nothing for a talented wideout. The problem is that Woods may not be able to play well in 2022, given that he’s coming off a torn ACL, but given that there was no risk involved, the Titans had to pull the trigger.
Unfortunately for Tennessee, that’s where the positive end. The team overpaid for Austin Hooper and also lost a talented blocker in Rodger Saffold without replacing him. A couple of defenders were lost as well, but the Titans failed to find substitutes for them as well.
2022 NFL Free Agent Team Grades: NFC West
Arizona Cardinals: F
Acquired: WR Marquise Brown, G Will Hernandez, LB Nick Vigil, CB Jeff Gladney.
Lost: RB Chase Edmonds, WR Christian Kirk, DE Chandler Jones, DE Kylie Fitts, DT Corey Peters, CB Robert Alford, P Andy Lee.
The Cardinals signed no one of significance. Nick Vigil and Jeff Gladney are backup-caliber players. Neither will provide much of an impact.
Meanwhile, Arizona lost some key personnel, namely Chandler Jones. The Pro Bowl edge rusher will sorely be missed. The absences of Chase Edmonds and Christian Kirk will also be felt. Neither is a huge departure, but Arizona failed to find replacements.
All of this is very disappointing for an Arizona team that had a disastrous ending to the 2021 season. The Cardinals had a chance to make a big leap forward in 2022, but that won’t be the case.
Los Angeles Rams: D
Acquired: WR Allen Robinson.
Lost: RB Sony Michel, WR Odell Beckham Jr., WR Robert Woods, OT Andrew Whitworth, G Austin Corbett, DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, DE/OLB Von Miller, DE/OLB Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, CB Darious Williams, CB Dont’e Deayon, P Johnny Hekker.
The Rams had a poor cap situation entering free agency, so they couldn’t afford to do very much. This is why they lost some key talents like Von Miller, Austin Corbett, Robert Woods, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Darious Williams. All will be missed.
This was a miserable free agency period for the Rams because they lost so much talent. The one thing saving them from an “F” grade is the Allen Robinson signing, but there’s no question that Los Angeles will take a step backward in 2022.
San Francisco 49ers: C
Acquired: WR Ray-Ray McCloud, DE Kerry Hyder, DT Hassan Ridgeway, LB Oren Burks, CB Charvarius Ward, S George Odum.
Lost: RB Raheem Mostert, WR Trent Sherfield, OT Tom Compton, G Laken Tomlinson, DE Arden Key, DT D.J. Jones, CB K’Waun Williams, CB Dontae Johnson, S Jaquiski Tartt.
Every team in the NFC West lost more talent than they obtained, but compared to the Cardinals and 49ers, it wasn’t so bad for San Francisco. The team will be minus a talented guard in Laken Tomlinson, as well as some key players in the secondary, but this isn’t something San Francisco can’t overcome.
In fact, the 49ers made a fine replacement in the defensive backfield by signing Charvarius Ward. Kerry Hyder also has some promise as an edge rusher. Both were solid acquisitions to help prevent this free agency period from being a failure.
Seattle Seahawks: C-
Acquired: QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, DE Uchenna Nwosu, DT Shelby Harris, DT Quinton Jefferson, LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe, CB Justin Coleman, CB Artie Burns.
Lost: QB Russell Wilson, TE Gerald Everett, OT Duane Brown, OT Brandon Shell, C Ethan Pocic, DE Benson Mayowa, DE Rasheem Green, LB Bobby Wagner, CB D.J. Reed.
The Seahawks lost Russell Wilson, so their offseason can’t possibly be graded positively. Sure, Wilson said he wanted out of Seattle, but the team may have been able to retain him by making the necessary changes to the coaching staff. Wilson is smart and knew he couldn’t win with this current coaching regime. Given that the Seahawks were eighth in DVOA last year, the front office should have listened to Wilson.
Instead, the Seahawks dealt Wilson and no longer have a viable quarterback. That could change in the coming weeks if Baker Mayfield is obtained, and if so, this will be re-graded. For now, however, the Seahawks know that they won’t be able to make the playoffs in 2022 because they have no quarterback. Furthermore, they lost three offensive linemen, including their left tackle, Duane Brown.
This free agency period wasn’t all negative. I like what the Seahawks did with their defensive line, acquiring three solid players who can help get to the quarterback. However, that’s almost negated by Seattle losing two primary defenders in Bobby Wagner and D.J. Reed.
2022 NFL Free Agent Team Grades: AFC West
Denver Broncos: A+
Acquired: QB Russell Wilson, QB Josh Johnson, OT Billy Turner, OT Tom Compton, DT D.J. Jones, DE/OLB Randy Gregory, LB Alex Singleton, CB K’Waun Williams.
Lost: QB Teddy Bridgewater, QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, OT Bobby Massie, OT Cameron Fleming, DT Shelby Harris, LB Alexander Johnson, LB Kenny Young, CB Bryce Callahan, CB Kyle Fuller.
The Broncos had an outstanding offseason, worthy of an A+ grade. Of course, much of this has to do with the Russell Wilson trade. Denver had been starved for a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback ever since Peyton Manning retired seven years ago. The Broncos, at long last, found their man. Trading for Wilson was expensive, but it was well worth it because he gives Denver a good chance at another Lombardi Trophy.
Denver obviously couldn’t only trade for Wilson; it had to find some valuable pieces to put around him. The front office accomplished this feat by adding a couple of capable offensive linemen in Billy Turner and Tom Compton. Meanwhile, the defense received a huge lift via Randy Gregory and K’Waun Williams. Gregory is a devastating edge rusher who will fill Von Miller’s shoes, while Williams will be the talented slot cornerback Bryce Callahan couldn’t be because of constant injuries.
The Broncos still have some needs to fill – they must replace Shelby Harris and Alexander Johnson – but they did an excellent job this offseason.
Kansas City Chiefs: C
Acquired: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, OT Geron Christian, LB Jermaine Carter, LB Elijah Lee, S Justin Reid, S Deon Bush, S Lonnie Johnson.
Lost: RB Jerick McKinnon, RB Darrel Williams, WR Tyreek Hill, WR Byron Pringle, WR Demarcus Robinson, OT Mike Remmers, G Kyle Long, C Austin Blythe, DE Melvin Ingram, LB Anthony Hitchens, CB Mike Hughes, S Tyrann Mathieu.
The Chiefs are the only team in the AFC West that got worse this offseason. Of course, they were arguably the best team in the NFL, so they had nowhere to go but down. Losing Tyreek Hill will be a devastating blow to their offense, however.
We’ll see what the Chiefs plan to do to replace Hill. They already signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a huge deal. This was a major overpay, so at least the team got fair value with JuJu Smith-Schuster, who has been declining in recent years. The Chiefs better make sure they use at least one early pick on a promising receiver to give Patrick Mahomes a chance.
It wasn’t all negative for Kansas City. The team made an outstanding signing in Justin Reid, who will provide a huge boost in the secondary. Otherwise, it wasn’t an exciting offseason for the Chiefs, who are beginning to feel the pain of having an expensive quarterback on the payroll.
Las Vegas Raiders: A-
Acquired: QB Nick Mullens, QB Garrett Gilbert, RB Brandon Bolden, RB Ameer Abdullah, FB Jakob Johnson, WR Davante Adams, WR Demarcus Robinson, WR Keelan Cole, WR Mack Hollins, TE Jacob Hollister, DE Chandler Jones, DT Bilal Nichols, DT Vernon Butler, OLB Kyler Fackrell, LB Jayon Brown, LB Micah Kiser, LB Kenny Young, CB Rock Ya-Sin, CB Anthony Averett, S Duron Harmon.
Lost: QB Marcus Mariota, WR Zay Jones, G Rich Incognito, DE Yannick Ngakoue, DT Quinton Jefferson, LB K.J. Wright, LB Cory Littleton, CB Casey Hayward, CB Desmond Trufant.
The Raiders made more signings than any other team in the NFL this offseason. This was a common tactic by teams with complete regime changes. With a new general manager and head coach, the Raiders wanted to bring in their own guys to mold the team the way they want.
Unlike the Texans, who made more transactions than any other team last year, the Raiders have obtained some amazing talents. Davante Adams is the name that stands out the most, as he’s arguably the best receiver in the NFL. He’ll provide Derek Carr with an amazing weapon. On the other side of the ball, Chandler Jones, Bilal Nichols, Jayon Brown and Rock Ya-Sin will all be huge upgrades. There’s no question that the Raiders’ defense has improved.
Once the Broncos traded for Russell Wilson, I believed the Raiders needed to rebuild. However, they’ve made the moves to be able to compete in the toughest division in football, though I still worry about the offensive line.
San Angeles Chargers: A+
Acquired: WR DeAndre Carter, TE Gerald Everett, DE/OLB Khalil Mack, DE Morgan Fox, DT Sebastian Joseph-Day, DT Austin Johnson, OLB Kyle Van Noy, CB J.C. Jackson, CB Bryce Callahan, P JK Scott.
Lost: RB Justin Jackson, TE Jared Cook, OT Bryan Bulaga, DE Uchenna Nwosu, DE Kyler Fackrell, DT Justin Jones, DT Linval Joseph, LB Kyzir White, CB Chris Harris Jr.
The Chargers are the only team in the AFC West that didn’t make drastic changes to their passing game. Of course, they didn’t need to, unlike the Broncos and Raiders. And contrary to the Chiefs, they weren’t dealing with miserable cap conditions.
Actually, the Chargers had tons of cap space entering free agency, which allowed them to make three incredible signings. Khalil Mack is the most well-known name on the “acquired” line. He had issues staying healthy last year, but if that changes, he and Joey Bosa will be the most fearsome pass-rushing duo in the NFL. They’ll get support from new cornerback J.C. Jackson, who was a shutdown coverage player last year. Meanwhile, Sebastian Joseph-Day is an underrated player who will provide some much-needed help in the trenches.
Thanks to what they’ve done this offseason, the Chargers have made themselves very serious Super Bowl contenders. Their accomplishments warrant an A+ grade.
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