2022 NFL Best Offseasons: Top Five Teams
2022 NFL Best Offseasons: Top trades and free agent pickups
Ben Hayes gives his top five NFL offseasons based on trades, free agents additions and free agent losses. He’ll also give the Super Bowls Odds and Regular season wins for each team.
(Odds from Draft Kings)
1)Denver Broncos: Super Bowl Odds: +1600; Reg. Season Wins: 10
Key Additions: QB Russell Wilson (Trade-Seattle), DE Randy Gregory (Dallas), DT D.J. Jones (San Fran),
Key Losses: QB Drew Lock (Trade-Seattle), DE Shelby Harris (Trade-Seattle), TE Noah Fant (Trade-Seattle), QB Teddy Bridgewater (Trade-Carolina)
Analysis:
The losses of Fant and Harris are not to be taken lightly because Harris led the team in sacks last year and Fant led the team in catches with 68. Gregory will help alleviate the loss of Harris, assuming he can stay on the field. Jones adds a big body at the 3- or 5-technique. The addition of Russell Wilson gives the team the star they needed at quarterback since they had Payton Manning at the end of his career with little arm strength. Wilson has averaged 33 touchdown passes over the last five seasons. He should elevate a very talented and young receiving corps led by Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick.
2)Miami Dolphins: Super Bowl Odds: +4000; Reg. Season Wins: 9
Key Additions: WR Tyreek Hill (Trade-KC), OT Terron Armstead (New Orleans), QB Teddy Bridgewater (Denver), RB Raheem Mostert (San Fran), RB Chase Edmonds (Arizona), WR Cedrick Wilson (Dallas), OG Connor Williams (Dallas).
Key Losses: WR DeVante Parker, QB Jacoby Brissett, T Jesse Davis, WR Will Fuller, S Jason McCourty, RB Phillip Lindsay.
Analysis: What an offseason for the Fins! Now, a lot depends on Tua Tagovailoa, who completed 68% of his passes last season, but averaged just 10.1 yards per completion. That should improve with the addition of the speedy Tyreek Hill, one of the most explosive receivers in the history of the league. He’ll team with Jaylen Waddle to give Miami one of the fastest due of WRs in the league. Cedric Wilson Jr. also was decent last season with 45 catches for 602 yards and six TDs. Hill caught 111 passes of 1,239 yards, but had little help other than Travis Kelce at tight end. The addition of Terron Armstead at left tackle was a big one, though Armstead missed nine games last season. Connor Williams comes in from Dallas to play left guard, though he was penalized 15 times last season.
3)Las Vegas Raiders: Super Bowl Odds: +4000; Reg. Season Wins: 8.5
Key Additions: WR Davante Adams (Trade-Green Bay), DE/OLB Chandler Jones (Arizona), CB Anthony Averett (Baltimore), DT/E Bilal Nichols (Chicago), DeMarcus Robinson (KC), Mack Hollins (Miami).
Key Losses: CB Casey Hayward, CB Brandon Facyson, DT Quinton Jefferson, WR Zay Jones, DE Yannick Ngakoue, LB Cory Littleton.
Analysis: The Raiders made one of the biggest splashes in the off-season and that’s trading for Davante Adams from Green Bay. They gave up a ton of picks, but Adams is worth it. They also re-signed one of the best slot receivers in football in Hunter Renfroe, who caught 103 passes for 1,038 yards and nine TDs last season. The only question is the number two receiver as DeMarcus Robinson from Kansas City, Mack Hollins from Miami and Keelan Cole from the Jets will vie for the receiver spot. They also brought on Chandler Jones to rush the edge and that should enhance the pass rush opposite of Maxx Crosby.
4)LA Chargers: Super Bowl Odds: +1400; Reg. Season Wins: 10
Key Additions: OLB Khalil Mack (Trade-Chicago), TE Gerald Everett (Seattle), DT Sebastian Joseph-Day (Rams), DT Austin Johnson (NY Giants), CB J.C. Jackson (New England).
Key Losses: ILB Kyzir White, TE Jared Cook, CB Chris Harris, RB Justin Jackson, DT Justin Jones, NT Linval Joseph, G Michael Schofield, LB Uchenna Nwosu.
Analysis: The Chargers desperately needed to upgrade their defense and they brought in a Pro Bowl corner in J.C. Jackson, who has 25 picks over the last four years. They have a great safety in Derwin James and rookie JT Woods could start. The only question is the second corner. Former Bears and Raiders EDGE rusher Khalil Mack will now line up opposite of another Pro Bowler in Joey Bosa. DT Austin Johnson adds some interior pass rush help and some size at 6-4, 315. Sebastian Joseph-Day, who won a ring with the Rams, will start right away at the nose.
5)Philadelphia Eagles: Super Bowl Odds: +2500 Reg. Season Wins: 9.5
Key Additions: A.J. Brown (Trade-Tennessee), DE/LB Hassoan Reddick (Carolina), WR Zach Pascal (Indianapolis).
Key Losses: CB Steven Nelson, LB Genard Avery, DE Ryan Kerrigan, S Rodney McLeod.
Analysis: More quality than quantity this offseason for the Eagles. What makes this offseason is the addition of A.J. Brown, who had 185 catches and 24 TDs in his first three seasons. He has the size to dominate all over the field. Hassan Reddick (11 sacks last year) joins a team that had a paltry 29 sacks, which is extremely low for a 17-game season. Reddick should help improve that total, Getting Brandon Graham back from a torn Achilles can’t hurt. They also drafted massive 343-pound Jordan Davis, who has pass-rush potential.