Highlights
- Aaron Rodgers to the Jets is one of the biggest offseason moves in recent history.
- Will Jimmy G shine in Sin City or fade like an old Carr? The Las Vegas Raiders roll the dice with a low-risk QB.
- Baltimore signing Odell Beckham Jr. could create a redemption arc for the aging wide receiver while making the Ravens a formidable team.
The NFL offseason can get overhyped — like when the Philadelphia Eagles made a ton of high-profile moves in 2011. Their backup that year, QB Vince Young, dubbed them the "Dream Team." That dream team ended up going 8-8 and missing the playoffs.
Too much roster turnover can be too big of a jolt to a team's system, but just the right amount of change can make the difference between a team hoping for a playoff spot and a team that contends for the Super Bowl. In the past, players like Jerome Bettis, Marshall Faulk, Drew Brees, and Randy Moss immediately transformed their new squads into contenders.
Which teams made the right moves during the 2023 offseason, and which ones didn't? Let's take a look at the biggest and most impactful offseason additions, not including draft picks, for all 32 NFL teams.
Arizona Cardinals: Kyzir White, Middle Linebacker
If you're wondering who Kyzir White is, you're probably not alone. No disrespect to White, he's a solid roving middle linebacker who combines athleticism and strength to defend well in coverage and against the run. He'll slot in as Arizona's new starting middle linebacker and will largely replace Isaiah Simmons, who was traded to the New York Giants. The fact that White was their biggest addition speaks to the notion that the Cardinals have no intention of chasing success during the 2023 season.
White spent his first four years with the Los Angeles Chargers before heading over to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2022 season, during which he finished second on the team with 110 combined tackles. White signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Cardinals in March and will be reunited with Jonathan Gannon, Arizona's current head coach, and Philly's defensive coordinator in 2022, and Nick Rallis, Arizona's new defensive coordinator and the Eagles' linebackers coach last year.
Atlanta Falcons: Jessie Bates III, Safety
The Atlanta Falcons entered this offseason with the second-most salary cap space available, and they took full advantage, making a handful of impactful signings. While Bud Dupree at outside linebacker and Calais Campbell and David Onyemata on the defensive line were great signings, it was in the defensive secondary where the Falcons made the biggest splash by signing former Cincinnati Bengals safety Jessie Bates III.
Bates was a second-team All-Pro back in 2020, and his last two seasons in Cincinnati were none too shabby either. Bates is one of the best ball-hawking free safeties in the NFL right now, snagging four interceptions last year while also forcing a fumble. It's a perfect addition for the Falcons, considering they finished tied for 27th with just 17 takeaways last year as a team. Bates should bring impactful plays and make it more challenging for teams to pass against Atlanta, especially since they surrendered 6.8 net yards per pass attempt last season, which was the fourth-highest in the NFL.
Baltimore Ravens: Odell Beckham Jr., Wide Receiver
The Baltimore Ravens didn't make a ton of new additions this offseason — they were far too busy trying to ensure they could persuade their franchise quarterback, Lamar Jackson, to return. They succeeded in bringing Jackson back, thanks in large part to an NFL record five-year, $260-million deal. Another factor was their signing of Odell Beckham Jr. (OBJ). OBJ was one of the best in the league for a few years, but the last couple have been tough due to injuries and also the fact that he's played for four teams in the last six years.
He is another in a long line of savvy, aging wide receiver signings for the Ravens, who had great success with future Hall of Famers Anquan Boldin and Steve Smith Sr. toward the tail end of their careers. OBJ is still only 30, so he has the chance to create a redemption arc for himself in Baltimore. Not to mention that he will be the leader of what is undoubtedly the best receiving corps the Ravens have ever had. If he can rediscover his Giants form, the Ravens are going to be a problem.
Buffalo Bills: Leonard Floyd, Defensive End
The Buffalo Bills had a very disappointing season last year, losing in the second round at home to the Cincinnati Bengals. One of their major weak points was their pass rush, which managed just 40 sacks, ranking 17th in the NFL. A significant reason for that was a lack of edge rushing talent after Von Miller went down with a torn ACL on Thanksgiving.
Miller should be back at some point this season, but the Bills didn't want to rely solely on him for their pass rush. That's why they signed defensive end Leonard Floyd to a surprisingly affordable one-year, $7 million contract. Floyd had nine sacks last year and has accumulated 29 over the past three seasons, demonstrating that at 30 years old, he can still be a significant contributor.
Carolina Panthers: DJ Chark, Wide Receiver
Obviously, the biggest addition for the Carolina Panthers this offseason was the number one overall draft pick, Bryce Young. However, since draft picks are not included in this exercise, we'll be focusing on one of Young's shiny new weapons. After all, Carolina's top wideout from last year, DJ Moore, was traded to the Chicago Bears, leaving a significant gap in the Panthers' receiving corps.
Enter DJ Chark. The five-year pro had a breakout season in 2019, but since then, he has been hampered by injuries, playing in just 15 games over the past two years. The upside is clearly present, though. Chark stands at 6'4" and weighs 205 lbs, making him a reliable red-zone target as well as an elite jump-ball threat. He also boasts a 4.34 40-yard dash time, giving him a combination of size and speed that few can match. If Chark can maintain his health, a dependable big-bodied receiver like him should significantly aid in Young's early development.
Chicago Bears: DJ Moore, Wide Receiver
DJ Moore's arrival in Chicago via a trade with the Carolina Panthers is likely to be the most significant move they made this offseason. Justin Fields had a rough campaign in 2022, but the blame can't be placed solely on his shoulders because the receiving corps he was dealing with was far from where it needed to be to support a developing signal caller.
Darnell Mooney is a solid pro, but he's not a top option. Chase Claypool has potential, but he has yet to realize it. However, adding Moore to a receiving corps with Mooney and Claypool will transform the group from a weakness to a strength for the Bears. Moore has accumulated 309 receptions and 4,431 yards over the past four seasons, and his ability to execute routes from the entire route tree will quickly establish him as one of Fields' favorite targets.
Cincinnati Bengals: Orlando Brown, Offensive Tackle
When a team is as chock-full of talent as the Cincinnati Bengals are, it's much easier to identify your weak spots, and the most significant one for the Bengals during the Joe Burrow era has been their pass protection. In 2020, they surrendered 48 sacks, tied for the fifth most in the NFL. In 2021, they allowed 55 sacks, which was third most, and last year they gave up 44 sacks, tied for the 11th most in the league. Left tackle is the most crucial position on the offensive line for pass protection, and the Bengals acquired one of the best in the business.
Orlando Brown Jr. was a third-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2018, and he has greatly exceeded expectations since then. He has earned Pro Bowl selections in the last four consecutive years, and he won the Super Bowl last year with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals undoubtedly hope that after giving him a substantial four-year, $64 million contract, he will do for Burrow what he did last year for Patrick Mahomes: safeguard the blind side.
Cleveland Browns: Za'Darius Smith, Defensive End
Last year, Myles Garrett finished second in the NFL with 16 sacks. The Cleveland Browns, as a team, finished tied for 27th with just 34 total sacks, meaning Garrett recorded nearly half of Cleveland's sacks even though he was constantly facing double teams. The next best sack artist on the team had only three sacks. Talk about being top-heavy.
Considering the lack of production from players not named Myles Garrett, Cleveland's offseason moves make a lot of sense. They completely revamped their defensive line except for Garrett, adding defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson in the middle and Za'Darius Smith on the opposite end. Smith had 10 sacks last year along with 84 pressures, and he had two more seasons with 10+ sacks in 2019 and 2020. The guy can still perform at a high level, and he should provide Garrett with much more freedom on the other side of the defensive line.
Dallas Cowboys: Brandin Cooks, Wide Receiver
The Dallas Cowboys made two significant offseason additions: veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore and wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Gilmore is a solid addition, but he's 32 years old and on the downside of his career, so he might not have as much impact as he used to. On the other hand, Cooks, whom they acquired for just a couple of late-round draft picks, is still only 29 years old.
This small and speedy receiver has demonstrated an uncanny ability to perform regardless of his location or the quarterback throwing him the ball. He has achieved 1,000-yard seasons with four different teams, catching passes from the likes of Davis Mills, Tyrod Taylor, and Jared Goff. He's a perfect complement to a big red zone target like CeeDee Lamb and should swiftly become one of Dak Prescott's most reliable weapons. The only concern would be his concussion history, so Cowboys fans will be keeping their fingers crossed this season.
Denver Broncos: Mike McGlinchey, Offensive Tackle
Say what you will about Russell Wilson's performance during the 2022 season, but some of the blame for his struggles has to be attributed to the worst offensive line in the NFL. The Denver Broncos allowed 63 sacks last year, which is a historically awful number. They also finished third in sack percentage at 9.9 percent, meaning they allowed a sack on one out of every 10 dropbacks.
At least the new Broncos leadership, led by head coach Sean Payton, was able to recognize these deficiencies and act swiftly to begin rebuilding the offensive line. In pursuit of this goal, they granted a five-year, $87.5 million contract to Mike McGlinchey, one of the best right tackles in the game. The former 49er will anchor that side of the line, while another valuable addition, left guard Ben Powers, aims to do the same on the other side.
Detroit Lions: Cameron Sutton, Cornerback
The Detroit Lions have been trying to address their issues in the defensive secondary for what feels like a decade. They invested significant resources in cornerback Jeff Okudah a couple of years ago, drafting him third overall, but they recently traded him to the Falcons for just a fifth-rounder. However, the overhaul they've attempted this year might very well be the one that proves successful.
They added three starting-caliber defensive backs during the offseason, but the standout among them is undoubtedly former Steeler Cameron Sutton, who signed a three-year, $33 million deal with Detroit. Sutton had three interceptions last year for Pittsburgh and served as their top cornerback, breaking up a career-high 14 passes as well. He's not the type to make a plethora of big plays, but he's a consummate professional who can truly shut down opposing receivers. His versatility as both an outside and slot corner is also a significant advantage for both him and the Lions.
Green Bay Packers: Jonathan Owens, Safety
The Green Bay Packers may have been the least active team during the offseason. Instead of adding players, they were losing talent following the departure of Aaron Rodgers.
The only notable signing they made was former Texans safety Jonathan Owens, whom they acquired on a one-year, $1 million contract. Owens started all 17 games last year for Houston and finished second on the team with 125 combined tackles.
Houston Texans: Dalton Schultz, Tight End
When you're a team like the Houston Texans that just used the second overall pick on a quarterback, you'll want to place that young signal caller in the best possible position to succeed. This requires a solid offensive line and a reliable pass catcher who can operate effectively in the middle of the field. They lacked the latter, so they acquired Dalton Schultz on a one-year, $6.25 million deal.
Schultz had a breakout season for the Cowboys in 2021, accumulating over 800 yards and scoring eight touchdowns. His performance dipped slightly last year, but at 27, he still has ample time to make a recovery. Texans rookie QB CJ Stroud will need a reliable receiver to assist him in navigating his developmental challenges, and Schultz should have no trouble fulfilling that role.
Indianapolis Colts: Gardner Minshew, QB
Okay, hear me out. Gardner Minshew was brought in on a one-year, $3.5 million contract to be the backup for rookie first-round pick Anthony Richardson. So, how can he be their biggest impact addition? Well, considering the dearth of other signings by the Indianapolis Colts this offseason, there weren't many choices to pick from. This is as much about Minshew as it is about the Colts' lack of interest in competing in 2023.
Minshew is a good veteran presence who can help guide Richardson on how to handle the transition into the starting QB role as a rookie, a situation Minshew is all too familiar with from his 2019 rookie season in Jacksonville. And who knows, if Richardson struggles, there's a good chance that Minshew could be the starter by the end of the year.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Nobody
After a major spending spree last offseason, the Jacksonville Jaguars took a different approach this year. The only new non-draft additions were signed for low-profile depth roles.
Their most significant non-draft offseason move was re-signing tight end Evan Engram to a three-year, $41.25 million contract. This allows him to continue serving as Trevor Lawrence's go-to option on third down.
Kansas City Chiefs: Jawaan Taylor, OT
It's kind of funny that the Jaguars' most significant offseason move was permitting right tackle Jawaan Taylor to depart in free agency. The Kansas City Chiefs acted swiftly, signing Taylor to a four-year, $80 million contract in mid-March, aiming to rebuild their offensive line following the departure of Pro Bowler Orlando Brown.
Taylor ranked in the top 15 on PFF's pass-blocking grade system and in pressure rate allowed last year. He should integrate smoothly into an offensive line that surrendered just 26 sacks last year, the third-fewest in the NFL.
Las Vegas Raiders: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB
When a team signs a quarterback to become their starter for the upcoming season, it makes them an obvious selection for the most impactful offseason signing. This is true for Jimmy Garoppolo and his new team, the Las Vegas Raiders. Jimmy G, who signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract, arrives after the unsuccessful Derek Carr era and aims to utilize his trademark risk-averse approach to transform the Raiders' offense into something more steady and dependable.
Just like when he was in San Francisco, Garoppolo has an impressively talented group of weapons to help conceal his mediocrity. They already had Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow, and they've also brought in tight end Austin Hooper and receiver Jakobi Meyers to the mix.
Los Angeles Chargers: Eric Kendricks, Middle Linebacker
The Los Angeles Chargers are one of the most exciting young teams in the league right now. They performed well last year until the final 30 minutes of their playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Chargers didn't feel the need to make too many additions this offseason, which made sense, as the roster mostly consists of young players who haven't yet reached their potential. One major signing they did make was former Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker Eric Kendricks, to whom they awarded a two-year, $13.25 million contract.
Kendricks was arguably the best coverage linebacker in the NFL in 2019-2020, but he has experienced some regression over the last couple of years, which is likely why the Vikings allowed him to depart. Nevertheless, Kendricks can still contribute significantly to the Chargers, not just as a player but also as a veteran leader on the defense.
Los Angeles Rams: Nobody
Similar to the Jaguars, the Los Angeles Rams essentially opted out of the free agency frenzy. They secured a Super Bowl victory a couple of years ago and currently possess an aging roster led by individuals like Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald, both of whom have recent injury history.
Consequently, there was no motivation to pursue high-profile free agents, as it appears they might commence a rebuild next year. Will they secure the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft?
Miami Dolphins: Jalen Ramsey, Cornerback
The Miami Dolphins continued to make significant offseason moves in 2023 as part of their win-now mentality, trading for elite cover cornerback Jalen Ramsey early on. Ramsey might not be at the level he was five years ago with the Jaguars, but he's still superior to most, and combining him with someone like Xavien Howard, who is still in his prime, could have provided Miami with the best cornerback duo in football.
Unfortunately, Ramsey suffered a knee injury during training camp that necessitated surgery and will keep him sidelined until at least December. The Fins might be able to utilize him for the stretch run, but it's still a substantial setback for the South Beach team.