Which team is having the best free agency?

[Dutch 874]

Which team do you believe is having the best free agency and why? How did they make their respective teams better? Any particular impact players?

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/freeagency/?year=2014&type=-1

 

Sadly enough for me, I have to say the Giants even though I was close to picking the Ravens. They made some great signings on the defensive side of the ball. They signed DRC who was solid last year and Walter Thurmond as their slot corner to help out Prince Amukamara and bolster that secondary. They also signed Robert Ayers on for their D-line which is an upgrade over the old dinosaur Justin Tuck and they resigned Beason who if I recall correctly was playing well for the Giants after getting traded. It is going to be interesting to see Stevie Brown this year and see if he can pick up from his success the year prior after his ACL injury last year.

 

Not to much on the offensive side outside of Rashad Jennings who I think can be a good piece for them and compliment their RB by committee back field with David Wilson. Hakeem Nicks is gone but he didn't play too well for them last season. I think they can address some of those offensive needs in the draft. Trindon Holiday is a good pick up imo too. He has his fumbling issues but he's still a threat to return it every time he touches the ball.

 

The Giants didn't pick up any of the super star names or anything like that but they collectively signed a good group of players who can impact their team in needed areas. A good free agency with a good draft could get the Giants right back in the mix for the division title. Hopefully, it all falls apart though

Edited April 7, 2014 by dutchff7

[BC 331]

Giants and then Patriots. However, the teams that stay quiet in FA are the teams that make out like bandits.

[RazorStar 4,025]

The Steelers have quietly done well for themselves. >_>

[Dutch 874]

The Steelers have quietly done well for themselves. >_>

 

Yeah, they have. I like the Blount signing. Should build up their running game and Mike Mitchell should be a nice addition in the secondary. DHB could be semi productive to a bust imo. If Big Ben can't get anything out of him, I don't think anyone can and will probably be his last stop.

[Vin+ 3,121]

I came in here expecting to be the only one to say the Giants. I leave mildly surprised.

[oochymp 2,393]

I went with the Bucs, I may have a higher opinion than most of Alterraun Verner, and that may have influenced my pick, but they got him at a great price and added McCown, also at an excellent price, and added some solid pieces in the trenches, I like what they've done

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Sitting down and thinking about it, I would probably say that overall the Gmen have had the best offseason, but with the way the votes have been going (not that I can say I'm surprised) I feel I have to at least make a case for the Broncos.

 

Firstly, I really couldn't give two shits about Talib and Ware. The best signing this offseason was TJ Ward. He adds solid safety play in tandem with center-fielder Rahim Moore, something we haven't had since 200...5? In addition to his general nasty streak that this team needs drastically.

 

Talib will also add some physicality to the D, and is a general upgrade over DRC more or less. Personally, I don't like the guy, never have, but he's a good player and one of the top corners in the league when he's on his game.

 

Ware is the riskiest signing, but I think he will add more to the team than just numbers. I am unsure what impact he will have statistically, but I think his influence on Von Miller will be immense. Von idolizes the guy, and I think it will do wonders for his maturity in addition to helping him with some tricks of the trade. I also don't think DWare has played with this caliber of an offense his entire career, and it's been some time since he could just pin his ears back and go. If he enters the season at 100%, a 10 sack season should be his baseline, and even the most vehement of haters will have a hard time denying that it was a great signing.

 

Then there's Manny Sanders, who is probably about to have a career year playing in this offense.

 

The knock here is the misguided notion that we've greatly overpaid for these guys. Ward's 22.5 mil contact is extremely reasonable imo, and Talib and Ware's deals (which aren't even that insane considering who they are) are basically two year deals. The rest of the money will likely be restructured or not paid out at all when we cut them. On top of this, the Broncos still have almost 10 million in cap space (should have made a run at De La Puente, but w/e).

 

Long story short, we addressed almost all of our needs with good players, cut ties with overpaid vets and guys who didn't fit the system, and set ourselves up to pretty much draft BPA with all of our draft picks. Didn't mean to make this post this long, but I couldn't see how trading one great corner for another and adding a journeyman QB trumps this particular offseason.

[ATL_Predator+ 1,196]

I'd have to say the Giants.

 

Losing Linval was big and so was Tuck to an extent, and with a shaky D riddled injuries...the Giants did well by adding 2 above average corners in DRC and Thurmond.

 

I'm no Raiders fan, but I've followed Rashad Jennings since his days at Liberty. I watched every single game of him in person, and saw a lot of potential. He didn't get his time to sign with the Jags because of the MJD glory days...but once he hit Oakland after Run DMC and whoever else they had went down. He stepped up big.

 

A great all-purpose back who is reliable, and can carry the load if need be.

 

They've made the best value signings of the off-season so far IMO. Not spending too much, but getting more than quality players. Smart team.

[Dutch 874]

I'm surprised the Jags aren't getting any love. The are having an awesome free agency. I really like the direction that Gus Bradley is taking this franchise. I think the Jags will be relevant sooner than later.

[Dutch 874]

I think the Raiders may surprise some people. While I don't think picking up every name on the market entails having the best free agency, I think they may improve a lot more than the other teams on this list. I'm not saying they will be the best but their improvement will be more visible considering how bad they were. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Raiders go .500 with an 8-8 record.

Edited May 1, 2014 by dutchff7