No matter whether a signing works out, every NFL franchises uses free agency in hopes of improving the roster.
But it’s not always easy to recognize a team’s vision.
Everyone will misjudge a few rosters each season, yes. Our perceptions in mid-March can shift by late September and, more importantly,—as the Houston Texans so clearly reminded us last season—early January.
Still, the NFL world generally has an understanding of good teams, bad teams and those in between. Each free-agent addition (or lack thereof) is viewed through that respective lens. Is a good team doing enough or a bad team being dangerously aggressive? Which direction is a mid-tier team trending?
These takeaways are subjective but consider both consensus and personal expectations for players and teams, along with the totality of roster moves in and around 2024 free agency.
Jonathan Gannon Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
The good news is the Arizona Cardinals can build a receiving corps around Marvin Harrison Jr., the potential No. 4 overall pick of the draft.
But they certainly are tearing down the position.
Arizona sent Rondale Moore to the Atlanta Falcons for now-backup quarterback Desmond Ridder, and Marquise Brown bolted to the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. As of now, the wideouts are Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch and recent signing Chris Moore.
Expectations are not extremely high, to be clear, yet the Cardinals are bringing back Kyler Murray. Arizona could get out of his contract after the 2024 campaign if he’s not performing at a high enough level, so this shouldn’t be a throwaway year for a rebuilding roster.
Based on the current personnel, though, the Cards aren’t exactly setting him up for much success.
Dan Morgan and Dave Canales David Jensen/Getty Images
I am somewhere between intrigued and perplexed.
Since the Carolina Panthers have quarterback Bryce Young on a low-cost rookie deal, it’s the right time to make aggressive moves.
Carolina definitely turned some heads with a combined $33.3 million annually spent on guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, but improving the offensive line is logical. Plus, the team brought in six possible defensive starters—none of whom landed more than $8 million per year. Good things!
Oh, and the Panthers sold low on star pass-rusher Brian Burns and could not keep edge-rusher Yetur Gross-Matos or linebacker Frankie Luvu. They officially will return zero players with more than two sacks.
Carolina is spending like it wants to contend in a down NFC South but is playing a dangerous game with the outbound talent.
Jerry Jones Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Enjoy your inevitable early playoff exit, Jerry Jones.
Sure, the Dallas Cowboys haven’t spent much in free agency recently. The minimal action is no surprise, and hovering around the cap meant the franchise didn’t have a whole lot room to operate anyway.
Still, how could you not be concerned? Starting center Tyler Biadasz and edge-rushers Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. all followed former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to the Washington Commanders. Running back Tony Pollard, left tackle Tyron Smith and defensive tackle Neville Gallimore all signed elsewhere.
Dallas, to date, has only added linebacker Eric Kendricks and re-upped cornerback Jourdan Lewis, along with two role players.
Dak Prescott can lead the Cowboys to the playoffs, but it appears there’s no reason to expect anything more than that.
Jim Harbaugh Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Jim Harbaugh understood what he inherited, but that doesn’t change the challenge facing the Los Angeles Chargers.
The franchise needed to clear cap space and decided to take drastic measures. Los Angeles shipped wide receiver Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears and released Mike Williams. Tight end Gerald Everett also headed to Chicago, and the Chargers replaced him with Will Dissly. Not re-signing Austin Ekeler as expected led to the arrival of power back Gus Edwards.
All that together, and quarterback Justin Herbert is looking at a supporting cast of Edwards in the backfield with Dissly and wideouts Quentin Johnston—after a disappointing rookie year—Josh Palmer and Derius Davis.
In a word: Unsettling.
While it’s fair to trust Harbaugh’s long-term vision, the Chargers may be wasting a year of Herbert’s prime.
Dennis Allen Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
If salary-cap purgatory existed, the New Orleans Saints would probably have already built a mansion.
And they’re not leaving anytime soon.
New Orleans, as usual, has restructured a handful of contracts to clear space. Every season the Saints continue to not make uncomfortable cuts, they’ll keep kicking the proverbial can down the financial road and never be more than a division hopeful with little postseason upside.
This annual half-measure is once again hampering New Orleans’ ability to truly upgrade the roster. So far, the Saints’ marquee addition is Willie Gay—who’s probably, like, the third-best linebacker on the team.
Look, the NFC South is winnable anyway, but “at least we can maybe make the playoffs” is a pretty lousy roster-building vision.
Daniel Jones Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
Especially given the low price the New York Giants had to pay, trading for Brian Burns was an excellent move. Adding him to a defensive line with Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux is exciting.
Also, the Giants did a reasonable job bolstering the offensive front with the versatile Jermaine Eluemunor and guards Jon Runyan Jr. and Aaron Stinnie. Not re-signing running back Saquon Barkley probably stung, but it’s a defensible choice.
New York, nevertheless, is putting an awful lot of trust into fringe improvements sparking the roster.
Daniel Jones should be healthy after a knee injury limited him to six starts, but he’s still unproven at best. Jones hasn’t showed the potential to legitimately carry a roster that lacks star power. He’s never averaged more than seven yards per attempt—a number, by the way, that ordinarily is a tick below the league average.
Perhaps a deeper offensive line is the solution, but the Giants are otherwise banking on a ton of internal development.
2024-03-17 12:49:01
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