15 offseason NFL additions who could thrive -- or flop: Who could be the next Sam Darnold?

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Bill BarnwellJun 3, 2025, 06:15 AM ET
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The 2024 NFL season turned retired to beryllium the twelvemonth of the impact escaped agent. The Eagles won Super Bowl LIX with 2 signings -- moving backmost Saquon Barkley and linebacker Zack Baun -- playing starring roles. Tailback Derrick Henry joined the Ravens and looked five years younger overnight. The astir shocking success story mightiness person been backmost Sam Darnold, who won astir arsenic galore games with the Vikings (14) arsenic helium did successful six erstwhile pro seasons (21).

In each of those cases, the standout subordinate benefited from jumping to a amended situation. Barkley went from a dismal Giants discourtesy to play down Philadelphia's ascendant violative line. Henry benefited by being successful the aforesaid backfield arsenic dual-threat passer Lamar Jackson. Baun was moved backmost to linebacker by Eagles coordinator Vic Fangio and coached up into an All-Pro campaign. And portion Darnold spent 2023 arsenic a backup with the 49ers, the beingness of manager Kevin O'Connell and wide receiver Justin Jefferson meant that the 2018 No. 3 prime was successful a markedly amended spot than helium had been during his clip with the Jets oregon Panthers.

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Plenty of players permission their teams during each offseason, but it's uncommon to spot the benignant of results Barkley, Baun and Darnold produced. Is determination anyone similar that who moved teams this offseason? Talent is talent, but who benefited astir from moving to a antithetic discourse successful a caller enactment implicit the past fewer months?

Let's tally done 15 players who were either traded oregon signed determination other successful escaped bureau and analyse however they'll acceptable wrong their caller buildings. Who could marque the astir retired of changing teams? Are determination underlying metrics, archetypes oregon thing astir each player's past that hints toward a breakout performance? I'll statesman with a caller backmost successful New York, enactment my mode done players connected discourtesy earlier ending with a fewer defenders:

Justin Fields, QB, New York Jets

Signed from Steelers arsenic unrestricted escaped agent

This mightiness not beryllium Fields' past accidental arsenic a starter, but it's astir apt his past accidental astatine entering an offseason with a meaningful warrant to commencement somewhere. Traded by Chicago to Pittsburgh for a Day 3 pick past year, helium did capable successful six starts with the Steelers to gain involvement successful escaped bureau from the quarterback-needy Jets. His caller woody guarantees him $30 cardinal of the $40 cardinal he's owed successful the adjacent 2 seasons.

The anticipation for Fields is that the Jets thin into his strengths successful the QB tally game, which the Bears didn't truly do. The Steelers jumped a small further in, but aft helium averaged conscionable implicit 5 designed runs (excluding scrambles and kneel-downs) crossed his six games arsenic a starter, helium was benched for Russell Wilson.

While the Steelers went 4-2 with Fields throwing conscionable 1 interception connected 161 walk attempts, the champion mentation of a Fields-led discourtesy has to perpetrate to his quality to make explosive plays. He has taken sacks connected astir 12% of his dropbacks arsenic a pro, plays that usually termination drives. His 40.9% occurrence complaint arsenic a passer ranks 24th retired of 25 quarterbacks with astatine slightest 1,200 dropbacks implicit the past 4 seasons, per NFL Next Gen Stats. All those antagonistic oregon neutral plays mean helium has to nutrient large plays to past arsenic an NFL passer.

Will caller Jets violative coordinator Tanner Engstrand physique an discourtesy that consistently plays to Fields' strengths? Engstrand had been with the Lions since 2020, seeing up adjacent however coordinator Ben Johnson elevated Detroit's offense. The Jets utilized their first-round prime connected tackle Armand Membou and made an affordable summation connected the interior successful erstwhile Packers halfway Josh Myers. There's a morganatic No. 1 wideout present successful Garrett Wilson. If it's ever going to hap for the 26-year-old Fields, now's the time.

Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Signed from Vikings arsenic unrestricted escaped agent

Jones was cut by the Giants successful November and past signed by the Vikings. There was a script successful which helium followed successful Darnold's footsteps and learned from manager Kevin O'Connell. Unlike Darnold, though, Jones ne'er saw the tract successful Minnesota, failing to play a azygous drawback successful a Vikings uniform. After the season, with J.J. McCarthy acceptable to instrumentality implicit arsenic the semipermanent starter successful Minnesota, Jones negotiated with the Vikings earlier taking a one-year, $14 cardinal deal with the Colts.

For immoderate benefits playing successful Minnesota brings, it's inarguable that Jones has a clearer way to getting connected the tract successful Indianapolis. While the Vikings intelligibly prioritized McCarthy successful past year's draught earlier a season-ending meniscus wounded -- successful lawsuit you forgot, helium was battling with Darnold to beryllium the starter -- the Colts hardly look thrilled with 2023 No. 4 prime Anthony Richardson. He was benched for Joe Flacco past play aft concisely asking retired of a game. And portion his mean walk traveled much than 2.0 yards successful the aerial further than immoderate different regular starter, his 47.7% completion percent was the worst successful NFL past aft adjusting for era among passers with a minimum of 200 attempts. He started his play with one of the champion axenic throws you'll ever spot a backmost make, past routinely missed unfastened receivers passim the remainder of the season.

Coach Shane Steichen and the Colts volition anticipation Jones tin deed immoderate of those unfastened receivers, but helium shouldn't beryllium considered a plug-and-play replacement. Richardson has been asked to onslaught downfield successful Indy's offense, but that was ne'er Jones' forte successful New York. He ran immoderate of the lowest aerial yards per effort marks of immoderate backmost successful 2½ seasons nether manager Brian Daboll. While the Colts person typically dialed up spread schemes and between-the-tackles runs for Richardson, the Giants utilized Jones successful zone-read schemes and fto him scramble connected walk plays.

Jones' wounded issues successful New York kept the Giants from unleashing him arsenic a runner, wherever helium has been effectual astatine times. He has missed important clip with genu and cervix injuries during his career. The Colts haven't made a semipermanent concern successful him the mode the Giants did, which mightiness promote them to fto him escaped successful the tally game. Given Jones' wont of taking sacks erstwhile helium isn't pushed to get the shot retired rapidly oregon tuck and run, though, it's pugnacious to genuinely support him from getting hit.

The Colts violative enactment besides won't beryllium doing Jones immoderate favors. Unlike his erstwhile teammate Barkley, who moved from 1 of the league's worst O-lines to its best, Jones volition look an uncertain concern successful Indianapolis. The Colts mislaid a brace of starters connected the interior successful Ryan Kelly and Will Fries, some of whom signed with the Vikings. Kelly had slipped from his highest and Fries missed astir of past play with a breached tibia, but Indianapolis didn't adhd different options too rookie fourth-round prime Jalen Travis. He profiles arsenic a task and a imaginable plaything tackle down Braden Smith, who was being treated for terrible obsessive-compulsive disorder past season.

There are reasons to beryllium optimistic astir Jones. He was miscast arsenic a $40 cardinal backmost successful New York, but helium tin beryllium an close passer successful bushed and should beryllium capable to grip Steichen's RPO calls. Running backmost Jonathan Taylor finished the play strong, racking up 627 rushing yards and six scores implicit the last 4 games. And the Colts added choky extremity Tyler Warren to a radical of walk catchers who get unfastened much often than their numbers suggest. Whether done wounded oregon benching, it seems apt Richardson volition springiness mode to Jones astatine immoderate constituent this season. Jones volition person to enactment steadfast and accordant himself to support that opportunity.

Mac Jones, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Signed from Jaguars arsenic unrestricted escaped agent

If there's 1 subordinate attempting to explicitly spell connected the Darnold rejuvenation path, it's Jones. Remember that Darnold restarted his vocation by joining the 49ers successful 2023, wherever helium spent the play arsenic a backup to Brock Purdy. Darnold threw lone 46 passes successful a San Francisco uniform, astir of which came successful a meaningless Week 18 crippled against the Rams. Working with manager Kyle Shanahan seemingly did capable to rebuild Darnold's assurance earlier helium near for a one-year woody with Minnesota, though. You cognize what happened next.

Like Darnold, Jones was erstwhile regarded arsenic a promising young quarterback, lone for his crippled to autumn isolated amid injuries, porous violative lines and questionable coaching. That communicative was ever a small excessively simplistic -- the Patriots did a large occupation of protecting him successful evident passing situations arsenic a rookie -- but immoderate assurance helium had rapidly fell by the wayside. He spent astir of his sophomore play arguing with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. In Year 3, with undrafted rookie DeMario Douglas arsenic his apical wideout, helium was benched for Bailey Zappe.

Moving onto Jacksonville past play and filling successful for the wounded Trevor Lawrence, Jones looked mislaid successful moments. He was highly delicate to adjacent the menace of unit and sometimes missed unfastened receivers from cleanable pockets. There's inactive immoderate anticipation determination -- helium has moments wherever helium looks similar an close passer -- but helium didn't person the benignant of consistency needed from a starting NFL signal-caller.

Now, helium gets to enactment with Shanahan, who debated drafting him implicit Trey Lance astatine No. 3 successful 2021. Jones' lone palmy play arsenic a pro puts him 1 up of the feline the 49ers did spell with, but I'm not definite either of those moves would beryllium considered a success. Four years later, Shanahan got his antheral to backmost up Purdy connected a two-year, $8.4 cardinal deal.

This volition beryllium the champion violative infrastructure Jones has played successful since his clip astatine Alabama. The question is whether helium ever sees the field. There has been a request for a reliable backup successful San Francisco, adjacent aft Purdy's ascension. Purdy suffered a superior elbow wounded successful the 2022 NFC Championship Game, near a 2023 nonaccomplishment to the Ravens with a stinger and missed 2 games successful 2024 with enarthrosis and elbow injuries. Jones astir apt isn't going to triumph the occupation distant successful those moments from the now-$265 cardinal QB , but don't beryllium amazed if helium plays good capable to get a much important accidental elsewhere connected his adjacent woody successful 2026.

Najee Harris, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Signed from Steelers arsenic unrestricted escaped agent

One twelvemonth aft 2 moving backs produced legendary seasons portion moving distant from dismal situations, Harris hopes to travel successful the footsteps of Barkley and Henry. And portion the Steelers' violative enactment improved past season, Harris is moving into a amended spot.

There's surely overmuch amended backmost play waiting successful Los Angeles than determination was successful Pittsburgh, though the Steelers (16th) ranked higher than the Chargers (25th) successful expected yards per transportation past season, per NFL Next Gen Stats. The weakest spot up beforehand for Jim Harbaugh's squad was astatine close guard, wherever erstwhile Eagles and Jets lineman Mekhi Becton, who got a two-year, $20 cardinal deal successful escaped agency, volition instrumentality implicit this season.

A strategy displacement mightiness besides payment Harris. The Steelers leaned into portion schemes during the bulk of Harris' time, contempt astir teams precocious preferring spread runs. His champion agelong arsenic a pro came astatine the extremity of the 2023 play with interim violative coordinator Eddie Faulkner, who leaned much into spread concepts. Harris has the size to win successful those and has more wiggle erstwhile he's one-on-one against a defender than you mightiness think.

Fantasy shot managers were upset to spot the Chargers adhd contention for Harris successful the signifier of first-round prime Omarion Hampton, but that really mightiness assistance the 27-year-old beryllium much businesslike connected a carry-by-carry basis. Harris ranks 2nd successful the league successful carries implicit the past 4 seasons, trailing lone Henry. While Henry has famously developed a estimation for getting amended arsenic the crippled goes along, that hasn't been the lawsuit for Harris; his occurrence complaint routinely drops aft halftime.

The biggest occupation with Harris? He truly hasn't been a precise bully pro back. He has racked up a important measurement with below-average efficiency, ranking 2nd to past successful the NFL successful cumulative rushing EPA since entering the league successful 2021. He ranks past successful occurrence complaint among backs with astatine slightest 600 carries implicit that span.

It's just to wonderment however overmuch of that is the discourse of the Steelers offense, but the occupation determination is Jaylen Warren was overmuch much productive successful the aforesaid attack. Over the past 3 seasons, Harris averaged minus-0.1 RYOE (rush yards implicit expectation) per carry; Warren was astatine 0.4. Warren had a 42.5% occurrence rate; Harris was astatine 36.2%. Even though Harris was the powerfulness backmost of the duo, helium generated 12 less FDOE (first downs implicit expectation) than an mean back, per the Next Gen Stats model; Warren generated 4 much than an mean backmost connected his carries.

There's surely immoderate payment to being the change-of-pace back, but arsenic we saw with Austin Ekeler and Melvin Gordon connected the Chargers oregon Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott connected the Cowboys, determination are times successful which a squad gets excessively attached to a first-round prime astatine moving backmost and doesn't fto the smaller, much productive backmost play more. Harris mightiness beryllium much productive than helium has been successful the past fixed a amended situation, but that mightiness lone pb to league-average results arsenic a rotation back.

Javonte Williams, RB, Dallas Cowboys

Signed from Broncos arsenic unrestricted escaped agent

In the clip since the Cowboys' determination to springiness a immense declaration hold to Ezekiel Elliott successful 2019 backfired, the squad intelligibly doesn't privation to walk a ton astatine moving back. For each the problems they had successful 2024, that strategy really worked. Rico Dowdle was perfectly tenable successful the pb role, posting above-average efficiencies successful presumption of yards implicit expectation, EPA per unreserved and occurrence rate. A 1,079-yard play for $1.3 cardinal was large worth for Dallas.

The Cowboys fto Dowdle permission successful escaped agency, contempt him lone signing a one-year, $2.8 cardinal woody with the Panthers. Instead, Dallas budgeted astir the aforesaid magnitude -- $3 million -- to motion Dowdle's replacement successful Williams, who could extremity up costing it a compensatory pick.

Why regenerate Dowdle with a backmost who has averaged 3.7 yards per transportation and posted the league's fifth-worst occurrence complaint since returning from a multiligament genu wounded successful 2023? The Cowboys would astir apt reason the determination makes consciousness due to the fact that of Williams' scope of abilities. There's a lawsuit that helium is simply a much implicit backmost fixed his assemblage of enactment arsenic a receiver and walk blocker. Dallas didn't needfully spot Dowdle with walk blocking until the 2nd fractional of past season, erstwhile they named him the full-time starter.

Dallas' biggest occupation connected discourtesy past play was successful the reddish zone, wherever it ranked 31st successful conversion rate. I'm not definite Williams truly helps there, arsenic helium generated minus-7 FDOE implicit the past 2 years. Since 2021, the lone backmost with astatine slightest 600 carries to station a worse occurrence complaint than Williams is Harris. Williams is saying each the close things this offseason astir recovering from his wounded and being astatine his best, but helium was league-average earlier the ACL teardrop and hasn't reached that level since.

Only $1 cardinal of Williams' $3 cardinal is guaranteed, truthful there's a slim-but-plausible accidental helium doesn't adjacent marque the progressive roster successful Week 1. I would accidental it's apt Williams gets there, but that we spot him strictly successful a rotational role. He's not apt to scope Dowdle's heights successful workload oregon production.

George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys

Acquired via commercialized from the Steelers

Williams' caller teammate, connected the different hand, has much reasons to beryllium optimistic. Pickens is moving from 1 of the league's slightest pass-happy offenses to one of its most. The Cowboys threw astatine the third-highest complaint successful neutral crippled scripts connected aboriginal downs earlier Dak Prescott went down with his season-ending hamstring wounded successful Week 9. The Steelers ranked 25th by the aforesaid metric implicit that span. Dallas besides plays astatine a faster gait than Pittsburgh, thing apt to proceed with Brian Schottenheimer taking implicit arsenic coach.

Pickens is besides going to get a monolithic upgrade astatine quarterback. For immoderate flak Prescott gets for his weaknesses, helium throws 1 of the astir consistently close balls of immoderate quarterback. His shot placement connected slants, digs and back-shoulder throws, successful particular, has been fantabulous implicit the past fewer years. Pickens is going to spot plentifulness of those routes. With CeeDee Lamb operating retired of the slot, the Cowboys person needed an "X" receiver since they moved connected from Amari Cooper earlier the 2022 season. Between Cooper and Dez Bryant, Prescott had that big, carnal receiver connected the extracurricular for astir of his career. Pickens should beryllium that guy.

What the Cowboys truly need, arsenic I mentioned successful the Williams blurb, is assistance successful the reddish zone. Pickens has the framework and drawback radius to beryllium an impactful subordinate successful adjacent quarters, but that has ne'er truly shown up wrong the 20-yard line. He had conscionable 5 touchdowns connected 48 targets wrong the reddish portion successful his archetypal 3 NFL seasons. I'd similar to spot Schottenheimer make one-on-one opportunities for his caller wideout to leverage that 6-foot-3 frame.

For each the positives of Pickens moving to Dallas, the downside has to beryllium a simplification successful people share. He drew targets connected much than 25% of the routes helium ran a twelvemonth ago, which ranked 25th among each wideouts. Brandin Cooks, whose relation successful the lineup is nominally going to Pickens, drew targets connected conscionable nether 19% of his routes successful 2024. That mightiness not dependable similar a large difference, but implicit a afloat season, that spread could magnitude to 40 other targets.

It's wide Pickens had fallen retired of favour with a usually diligent Steelers coaching staff, and the way grounds for much-ballyhooed wideouts extracurricular of Pittsburgh isn't great. Antonio Brown, Santonio Holmes, Mike Wallace and Chase Claypool each failed to unrecorded up to their occurrence elsewhere. With Pickens successful a declaration year, helium has each crushed to beryllium motivated successful Dallas. Few players person a wider scope of imaginable outcomes successful 2025 -- helium could beryllium a top-15 wideout oregon extremity the play connected different roster.

Dyami Brown, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Signed from Commanders arsenic unrestricted escaped agent

A 2021 third-round prime who had fallen down the Washington depth chart, the accomplishment of Kliff Kingsbury arsenic violative coordinator past twelvemonth and the trading distant of Jahan Dotson helped revitalize Brown's career. He saw regular snaps passim the play and was an capable blocker connected the outside, but helium didn't commencement amassing meaningful accumulation until the postseason. After a career-high 308 receiving yards during the regular season, helium had 229 much during the postseason, including games with 89 and 98 receiving yards during the Commanders' 2 playoff victories.

Did Brown crook into a antithetic subordinate during that playoff run? I'm not definite I spot that connected film. Several of his large plays implicit that agelong came connected blown coverages and scramble drills. Those yards count, but they're a merchandise of strategy arsenic opposed to Brown getting himself open. He had a 24-yard catch-and-run connected a surface and a 42-yard completion against Lions backups who failed to walk disconnected a way conception correctly. Brown did person a 38-yard summation connected a seam way moving past rookie country Terrion Arnold retired of the slot, but that was the objection for his accumulation during the playoff run. He besides fumbled twice, losing a cardinal fumble aboriginal connected against the Eagles successful the NFC Championship Game.

Over the regular season, Brown averaged 1.4 yards per way run, which ranked 68th retired of the 114 wideouts who ran astatine slightest 200 routes. While helium saw dependable work, determination were fewer wideouts who ran routes little often erstwhile they were connected the tract than him. He ran routes connected 50.6% of his violative snaps, the sixth-lowest complaint for immoderate wideout.

On 1 hand, the constricted usage suggests Brown's humble regular-season numbers were deflated by a deficiency of opportunity. On the other, it seems telling the Commanders didn't prioritize targets for Brown contempt Terry McLaurin being the lone imposing option. Don't beryllium amazed to spot much of that in Jacksonville, wherever the throws volition spell to Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. Instead of reaching his January form, Brown is apt to marque much of an interaction arsenic a blocker and clear-out receiver.

Davante Adams, WR, Los Angeles Rams

Signed from Jets arsenic unrestricted escaped agent

If we were going to comparison Adams to 1 of past year's prima movers, it would beryllium Henry: The seasoned prima who finds the fountain of younker aft moving to a amended violative situation. And certainly, I don't deliberation you'll find galore radical who volition reason that playing with Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay and the Rams is worse disconnected for Adams than the Raiders oregon the messiness that was the 2024 Jets.

The 32-year-old Adams' underlying metrics from past play suggest he's inactive an impactful player. He had 1,063 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns crossed 14 games, figures that were impacted by his midseason determination to New York. He averaged 2.1 yards per way run, which ranked 32nd successful the league and was up from 2.0 YPRR the anterior play successful Vegas. Those numbers were buoyed by Adams' outlier game, a 198-yard, two-touchdown show successful December against the Jaguars; 135 of those yards came successful the last 4 minutes of the 4th quarter. It was proven that Adams can't beryllium covered by Jaguars linebacker Devin Lloyd, which volition beryllium adjuvant erstwhile the Rams play the Jags successful the James Gladstone Bowl successful October.

ESPN's receiver people metric ranked Adams 70th past season, which isn't rather arsenic disappointing arsenic it sounds. That metric is breached into 3 components. Adams ranked 15th successful unfastened score, suggesting his quality to shingle distant from antiaircraft backs and find abstraction is inactive present. He was coagulated by YAC score, but his drawback people ranked 153rd retired of 159 walk catchers. He hasn't had a large drawback people implicit the past fewer years, but it's pugnacious to judge his existent quality to drawback the shot is among the worst successful football. I'd number connected that to improve.

There are a fewer factors that permission maine hesitant to task Adams arsenic the adjacent Henry, however. Adams turns 33 successful December, and portion helium mightiness consciousness ageless, his show has dropped from the All-Pro level helium showed astatine his highest successful Green Bay. The displacement to the Rams should assistance him, but it's pugnacious to find receivers who marque important improvements successful their mid-30s.

Adams has been a prima for astir a decade, but it's besides just to constituent retired the immense bulk of his occurrence has travel with quarterbacks helium has developed a agelong chemistry with successful Rodgers and Derek Carr, who helped Adams gain his last All-Pro motion successful Las Vegas successful 2022 and was his assemblage teammate astatine Fresno State. Adams won't person that aforesaid familiarity with Stafford, astatine slightest astatine the opening of the season.

And portion Adams is simply a much comfy acceptable than Cooper Kupp was arsenic the extracurricular receiver alongside Puka Nacua, erstwhile players successful that relation didn't unrecorded up to expectations. Sammy Watkins was one-and-done aft the Rams acquired him via commercialized from Buffalo. They soured connected Brandin Cooks aft 2 years and traded him to the Texans. Odell Beckham Jr. won a Super Bowl with the Rams arsenic a midseason addition, but aft tearing an ACL, they replaced him with Allen Robinson, who was 1 of the worst escaped cause signings successful caller memory. L.A. got 33 catches for 339 yards from him earlier eating much than $10 cardinal to get him disconnected their roster.

I'm not expecting that benignant of fiasco to hap again, but there's much downside present than the acceptable mightiness suggest. The astir apt script is that Adams is simply a coagulated No. 2 receiver who doesn't get the benignant of people stock he's utilized to portion inactive influencing games. There's a beingness successful which helium feasts connected one-on-one sum and makes it backmost to the Pro Bowl, but this is simply a spot wherever the Rams person swung and missed recently.

Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, Washington Commanders

Acquired from 49ers via trade

Samuel is the YAC god. Samuel has ranked archetypal (2021), archetypal (2022), archetypal (2023), and 2nd (2024) successful ESPN's YAC people implicit the past 4 seasons. While helium benefited from playing astir different prima playmakers and for Kyle Shanahan, helium exhibits a generational quality to interruption done tackles and tally distant from defenders.

That's a large trick, but it hasn't led to spectacular seasons. Samuel's 1,405-yard run successful 2021 was 3 afloat years agone now, and it's the lone clip helium topped 900 receiving yards successful a azygous campaign. Samuel had 5 plays of 50 oregon much yards that season, which is much than helium had implicit the different seasons of his vocation combined (four). Even for a subordinate with his talents, that benignant of show was unsustainable.

Samuel besides had a chaotic rushing ratio successful 2021, scoring 8 touchdowns connected 59 carries. That hasn't stuck astir either, though the 29-year-old inactive managed to people 9 times connected 121 unreserved attempts implicit the ensuing 3 years. Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury mightiness not beryllium arsenic inclined to usage Samuel astatine moving back, but it wouldn't beryllium a astonishment if the Commanders lined him up determination arsenic model dressing for immoderate of their backmost tally concepts.

Leave that 2021 play retired of the investigation and there's a comparatively accordant subordinate here. Samuel volition make a fewer large plays retired of thing and tally done a fewer defenders. He's going to driblet a fewer much passes than you would similar and miss a mates of games each season, but that's perfectly tenable for a WR2. He volition bash good with the precocious quantity of screens and RPOs the Commanders ran past season, but don't expect his accumulation to scope the 2021 heights.

Evan Engram, TE, Denver Broncos

Signed from Jaguars arsenic an unrestricted escaped agent

I wrote astir Engram and his acceptable arsenic a imaginable "Joker" with the Broncos successful my AFC Superlatives column. In short, he's a funny acceptable successful that role. The choky ends who person been Sean Payton's "Joker" successful the past were Jeremy Shockey and Jimmy Graham. Engram lacks Shockey's physicality, arsenic good arsenic Graham's verticality and quality to triumph successful the reddish zone.

Engram has been much of a information valve than a menace with the shot successful his hands: His 22 YAC people successful 2024 ranked 158th retired of 159 walk catchers, conscionable down caller teammate Courtland Sutton. Engram was amended (69th) successful presumption of getting open, and that's what Payton volition inquire of him successful favorable matchups.

While Engram had a career-high 963 receiving yards successful 2023, helium needed 143 targets and 558 routes to get there. His 1.7 yards per way tally ranked 11th among choky ends who ran astatine slightest 200 routes. In 9 games past season, that fig fell to 17th. Given that Engram doesn't connection overmuch arsenic a blocker, the immense bulk of his worth comes from his receiving work.

It would beryllium a astonishment if the measurement was determination for Engram to scope 140-plus targets again. If you judge Engram volition person a vocation year, you request to judge Payton tin coax an wholly antithetic subordinate retired of Engram than what helium has shown since being drafted successful Round 1 successful 2017. I'm inherently skeptical of those sorts of bets, but Payton is the lone 1 who could person maine otherwise.

Laremy Tunsil, OT, Washington Commanders

Acquired from Texans via trade

There's an absorbing happening happening here, right? The Texans privation to support backmost C.J. Stroud, who was beaten up and yet injured by the extremity of the playoff nonaccomplishment to the Chiefs. There's nary uncertainty they needed to code their violative enactment this offseason, and their method was moving connected from their cornerstone near tackle. Clearly, Houston prefers trying retired respective draught picks portion hoping Cam Robinson volition beryllium its short-term solution connected Stroud's unsighted side.

The Commanders, meanwhile, person their ain young backmost they privation to protect. And portion it looked similar they were comfy keeping Brandon Coleman on arsenic their near tackle of the future, wide manager Adam Peters intelligibly thought Tunsil wasn't a liability oregon connected the downswing erstwhile helium traded a brace of Day 2 picks to get the five-time Pro Bowler.

The numbers suggest Tunsil was coagulated past play -- arsenic a blocker. NFL Next Gen Stats credits him with 2.5 sacks allowed, which is simply a bully fig for a near tackle playing a afloat season. His speedy unit complaint was close astir league-average (2.2%). He had immoderate occupation with velocity astir the edge, arsenic Will McDonald IV and James Houston were capable to spell extracurricular him and make sacks of Stroud, adjacent if they didn't decorativeness the occupation themselves.

The occupation was what happened earlier and aft the snap. Referees flagged Tunsil a league-high 19 times, including for 12 mendacious starts. He was penalized 3 times for amerciable enactment arsenic portion of a six-penalty crippled against the Vikings aboriginal successful the season. Later successful the year, a 77-yard Nico Collins touchdown was wiped disconnected by Tunsil getting downfield prematurely. A seasoned tackle of Tunsil's stature shouldn't beryllium making those sorts of mistakes.

Serving arsenic his ain agent, Tunsil has done a masterful occupation of creating leverage for himself and negotiating a bid of player-friendly contracts. He's coming up for different 1 aft this season, and it's wholly imaginable the Texans didn't deliberation the 2024 mentation of him was worthy a rise to immoderate the apical of the near tackle marketplace is aft Rashawn Slater soon signs his hold with the Chargers.

The Commanders, connected the different hand, astir apt spot a subordinate who has different declaration oregon adjacent 2 up of him. The amerciable enactment penalties were each successful 1 game, suggesting they mightiness person been from an overzealous officiating crew. Tunsil has had issues with flags successful the past, but 2024 was the archetypal clip helium led the league successful penalties oregon came adjacent since 2019. And frankly, successful an offseason erstwhile Dan Moore Jr. and Jaylon Moore signed for astatine slightest $15 cardinal per play to play near tackle, Tunsil making $21 cardinal per twelvemonth successful 2025 and 2026 mightiness consciousness similar a bargain.

Kenyon Green, G, Philadelphia Eagles

Acquired from Texans via trade

The Eagles revitalized 1 erstwhile first-round pick's vocation past twelvemonth by getting him down a large violative line. Could they bash the aforesaid for different by putting him connected that aforesaid line? There's a large quality here. While Barkley was solid-to-excellent successful New York erstwhile healthy, Green was 1 of the league's worst linemen erstwhile helium was connected the tract for Houston. He missed each of 2023 with a enarthrosis injury, and earlier going down past October with different enarthrosis issue, helium led each guards successful pressures allowed (36). He ranked 3rd successful speedy pressures allowed (14), per NFL Next Gen Stats.

Green was erstwhile an elite prospect, though, playing 4 antithetic positions connected the enactment during his last play astatine Texas A&M successful 2021. The Texans thought capable of him to draught him astatine No. 15, up of interior linemen Tyler Smith and Tyler Linderbaum, who some went aboriginal successful Round 1. And the Eagles won't wage overmuch to spot what Green has successful the tank. They sent apt chopped campaigner C.J. Gardner-Johnson to Houston to get Green and volition pay him lone $1.4 million successful 2025. That benignant of declaration is usually saved for backup guards oregon inferior linemen successful the modern NFL.

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General manager Howie Roseman & Co. person a crushed to judge they'll get much retired of Green than the Texans, too. Legendary violative enactment manager Jeff Stoutland has developed a bid of linemen into standout contributors and cornerstones of the franchise. Last year, Stoutland's task was erstwhile Jets tackle Mekhi Becton, who had missed astir 2 years of shot with injuries earlier struggling successful 2023. The Eagles moved Becton to the interior, and portion helium had a fewer hiccups, the 363-pound defender was much than susceptible arsenic a tally blocker and played his portion connected a tally to the Super Bowl.

Could Green beryllium that feline this year? Becton near successful escaped bureau for the Chargers, leaving a contention astatine close defender betwixt third-year lineman Tyler Steen and Green. If Steen wins that job, Green could vie with Kendall Lamm for the sixth oregon seventh lineman relation successful the lineup. If Stoutland tin marque Green a much accordant blocker, there's a accidental helium reaches the prima imaginable that the Texans expected from him. Going from arguably the worst violative enactment concern successful the league to its best, Green needs to win successful Philadelphia. Otherwise, it's astir apt not going to hap anyplace else.

Joey Bosa, Edge, Buffalo Bills

Acquired from the Chargers arsenic an unrestricted escaped agent

"If helium could conscionable enactment healthy." You cognize the communicative with Bosa. After a 10.5-sack, 20-knockdown play successful 2021, the 2016 No. 3 prime has been incapable to enactment connected the field. Injuries person outgo him 23 games implicit the past 3 seasons and constricted him to a part-time relation successful 13 more. He had to take a wage cut to enactment with the Chargers past offseason, and that wasn't capable to support him astir for a final go-round successful 2025.

When Bosa has been steadfast capable to play a important information of the snaps, helium has been good, if not the superstar we saw earlier successful his career. Leaving those 36 games I mentioned speech and looking astatine the 15 wherever helium was capable to suit up for much than 50% of the violative snaps, helium racked up 8 sacks and 17 knockdowns. His pass unreserved triumph rate from the borderline past play was 11.1%, which isn't spectacular, but it was close successful enactment with Josh Sweat and Jonathon Cooper.

If Bosa is going to win somewhere, the Bills are an perfect landing spot. Coach Sean McDermott has a way grounds of getting much retired of defenders than different coaches person elsewhere, which includes Jordan Phillips up beforehand and Taylor Rapp, Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde successful the secondary. Buffalo has a heavy borderline rotation. Bosa is nominally taking Von Miller's spot successful the lineup -- aft the erstwhile Broncos prima tore an ACL successful 2022, helium lone played astir 33% of the antiaircraft snaps successful his last play successful Buffalo. No Bills borderline rusher played much than 67% of the antiaircraft snaps during the regular season.

The wounded prevented Miller from making the interaction the Bills wanted erstwhile they signed him to a six-year, $120 cardinal contract. They are signing Bosa with the anticipation helium tin beryllium a difference-maker successful the postseason erstwhile they person their seemingly inevitable matchup against the Chiefs. Spotting the five-time Pro Bowler's snaps during the regular play to assistance support him steadfast earlier expanding his workload successful the playoffs would marque sense.

Of course, the Bills person to marque it to the postseason, and Bosa has to marque it to the regular season. He already has been sidelined by a calf wounded that is expected to support him retired until grooming camp. While that wouldn't beryllium the extremity of the world, Chargers fans tin attest to however the timeline for his injuries tin linger connected months past their expected ending. A steadfast Bosa would beryllium the nonstop benignant of summation the Bills need. It's conscionable not wide whether we'll ever spot that feline for 17 games again.

Azeez Ojulari, Edge, Philadelphia Eagles

Acquired from Giants arsenic an unrestricted escaped agent

With the Eagles fielding the most costly offense successful NFL past for the 2nd consecutive season, it was inevitable that they were going to request to find cheaper solutions connected defense. Defensive tackle Milton Williams played his mode retired of their fund with his 2024 season. Pass rusher Josh Sweat mightiness person been the champion subordinate connected the tract successful the Super Bowl. Veteran borderline rusher Brandon Graham retired. The Eagles are stacked with young defenders astatine each 3 levels, but they were going to request to find immoderate seasoned extent connected the cheap.

General manager Howie Roseman could person built his equivalent of an NBA squad and recovered ring-chasing veterans who were consenting to motion connected the cheap, but I liked the determination to effort to find immoderate players who inactive person upside. The Eagles cognize Ojulari well, arsenic the 2021 second-round prime conscionable finished retired his rookie woody with the Giants and has 3 sacks successful his past 2 games against Philadelphia.

Injuries person acceptable backmost Ojulari. After racking up 8 sacks and 13 knockdowns arsenic a rookie successful what has been his lone afloat play arsenic a pro, helium has lone played 29 of the ensuing 51 games implicit the adjacent 3 seasons. Over that time, the Giants person added Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns, moves that yet consigned Ojulari into a reserve role. Over that three-year span, though, Ojulari generated 14 sacks and 24 knockdowns successful 29 games, numbers astir identical to his rookie production.

Listed astatine 240 pounds, Ojulari is 1 of the league's smallest borderline defenders, which limits his quality to play a dense workload connected aboriginal downs. His relation volition apt beryllium to regenerate free cause disappointment Bryce Huff, who wasn't capable to carve retired a dependable relation successful his debut play successful Philadelphia and appears to beryllium on his mode to the 49ers successful a salary-dump trade. In a situational relation connected passing downs down Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt, Ojulari should beryllium capable to tee disconnected connected opposing quarterbacks. On an Eagles antiaircraft enactment that is thinner than caller years, helium could extremity up being a amazingly important player.

Benjamin St-Juste, CB, Los Angeles Chargers

Acquired from Commanders arsenic an unrestricted escaped agent

The Dan Quinn gyration made a batch of guys look bully successful Washington past season. One of the fewer exceptions was St-Juste, who was the Commanders' apical cornerback to statesman the season. Noah Igbinoghene emerged successful the slot, though, which pushed rookie Mike Sainristil outside. St-Juste was already struggling erstwhile the Commanders traded for Marshon Lattimore, and erstwhile the erstwhile Saints country was yet steadfast capable to play regularly, St-Juste got bumped to the bench. He played conscionable 24 antiaircraft snaps during Washington's tally to the NFC Championship Game.

It was nary astonishment to spot the Commanders fto St-Juste permission successful escaped bureau this offseason, and his landing spot makes each the consciousness successful the world. Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter were the league's cornerback rehabilitation factory a twelvemonth ago. In summation to getting fantabulous seasons from Day 3 rookies Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still, the Chargers coaxed a coagulated twelvemonth from Kristian Fulton and a vocation play from Elijah Molden, who shifted to information connected a full-time ground with glowing results.

Fulton and injured incumbent Asante Samuel Jr. near the Chargers this offseason, opening up an accidental to instrumentality different accidental connected rebuilding a cornerback's confidence. St-Juste was astir apt expecting to motion a overmuch larger 2nd woody heading into past season, but his one-year, $2.5 cardinal declaration is simply a comparative bargain for L.A.

The Chargers focused connected size and physicality crossed the committee this offseason, which should hardly beryllium a astonishment fixed their coach. When St-Juste has been astatine his best, helium has been capable to leverage his 6-foot-3 framework to situation receivers astatine the enactment of scrimmage and connected contested drawback opportunities. He has a coagulated missed tackle complaint (8.4%) arsenic a pro, and portion helium entered the league arsenic a 24-year-old, the Chargers mightiness consciousness similar there's much refinement to travel to his crippled with amended coaching.

St-Juste won't person a guaranteed starting relation with Hart and Still returning. L.A. besides signed Donte Jackson to a two-year, $13 cardinal deal, which should bump him up of St-Juste connected the depth chart arsenic grooming campy begins. St-Juste could extremity the play arsenic a cardinal starter connected a imaginable playoff squad oregon buried successful a 4th oregon 5th cornerback spot. I'd reason helium has much upside than astir of the different cornerback signings this offseason.

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