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As soon as NFL franchises were allowed to pick up the phone and talk with free agents, the NFL world began transforming. In most offseasons, the free agency market can be viewed as a bit mundane. More often than not, even the biggest names available find the comforts of staying too enticing. This year, however, some of the biggest names in the NFL have been on the move.
While some talented free agents are still available, most of the more notable names have been snapped up. With teams beginning to round out their roster, who amongst them made the biggest and most brazen splashes this offseason?
Here are the five NFL teams who made the biggest impact this offseason in the free agency market.
#5. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers' offense was never an issue, and re-signing wide receiver Mike Williams was a must for the Chargers. With a leader like Justin Herbert at quarterback, it was clear that the Chargers needed to focus their efforts on the other side of the ball. They did just that, making several big-time splashes.
Amongst a long list of notable names was the acquisition of Khalil Mack.
Seemingly smack dab in the middle of his prime at the age of 31, Mack has racked up 76.5 sacks during his NFL career, including six last season, despite dealing with a long list of injuries.
As long as Mack remains out of the injury tent, he’ll wrap up opposing quarterbacks all season long.
#4. Buffalo Bills
If the rules were constructed differently, even now, several months later, the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs could still be battling it out on the field.
The Bills were both demoralized and shell-shocked watching from the sidelines as Patrick Mahomes whizzed the ball through the air during the AFC Divisional round, resulting in a nail-biting 42-36 overtime win.
The Bills finished their season as the number eight ranked offense and the number one ranked defensive overall. Hence, they believed that there wasn't much to improve upon, perhaps just the lack of an elite pass rush.
Eager to drive signal-callers such as Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady into the turf, the Bills signed Von Miller to a six-year deal worth $120 million. Giving a 33-year-old that sort of money is a bit risky but with two Super Bowl rings, a Super Bowl MVP, and 9.5 total sacks last season, Miller is worth it.
We also can’t forget the additions on offense that the Bills made in signing tight end OJ Howard and receiver Jamison Crowder.
#3. Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos were a team that had everything they needed to compete, other than the most important piece of them all, a top quarterback.
Fans were perplexed as the franchise chugged out Brock Osweiler, Tim Tebow, and the immortal Drew Lock. This upcoming season, with the addition of Russell Wilson, they finally have a bonafide franchise-altering quarterback.
In 10 seasons, Wilson has been named to nine Pro Bowl squads. He’s also one of the best ever when it comes to taking care of the football, throwing 292 touchdowns to only 87 interceptions.
The quarterback's play is expected to be off the charts this season but that’s almost a given. On the defensive side of the ball, Denver also made a ton of upgrades. Randy Gregory, DJ Jones, and a long list of other players will have the Broncos humming on defense.
#2. Cleveland Browns
We could sift through the many quarterbacks that have failed miserably under the Cleveland Brown's umbrella, but ultimately we would come to one succinct conclusion: Deshaun Watson is the most talented quarterback they’ve ever had.
Cleveland took a gamble on Watson. Even with the multiple Pro Bowler being fully entrenched in 22 ongoing legal issues off the field, he was simply too good to pass up on.
When last seen on the field, an argument could be made that Watson was the best signal-caller in the league. Watson’s 4,823 passing yards and 8.9 yards per attempt during the 2020 season led the league. Watson is as accurate as they come and is elusive in the pocket.
The rest of Cleveland’s moves were a bit on the underwhelming side, outside of the addition of the incredibly talented Amari Cooper. Still, the Browns’ may have nabbed one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
#1. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are seemingly straddling the fence with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. So far, while it’s still early in his NFL career, the former Alabama quarterback has been up and down in his performances.
In 13 games in the 2021 NFL season, Tagovailoa threw for just 2,653 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Not the most flattering numbers, but Tua did complete 67.8% of his passes. There was always a bit of a built-in excuse for Tua, including a lack of big-time talent from the receiver position. Nonetheless, that excuse will be extraneous this upcoming season.
In a jaw-dropping move, the Dolphins got their hands on Tyreek Hill. Possibly the fastest receiver in the NFL, Hill has a reputation that matches his speed. With this addition, Tagovailoa will have a ton of pressure on his shoulders to deliver. If he doesn’t, newly acquired backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater could find himself under center.
