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We’re inside a month from the NFL draft, and NFL Free Agency is slowing to a halt, so it’s the perfect time to reflect on the moves made and dollars spent.
Not all transactions are equal. Some teams spend like a drunken sailor, adding names to hype their fan bases, but these moves often go the way of a spilled drink. Others shrewdly guard their cap dollars and choose to secure their own players and build through the draft.
Regardless of team strategies, fans get excited over players changing teams. It's exhilarating to see a longtime rival suddenly join your favorite squad. Whether it lead to a Lombardi Trophy remains to be seen.
Let’s break down each division in the NFL and rank the team's moves thus far.
NFL Free Agency grades: AFC North
1] Baltimore Ravens: B-
Adding Derrick Henry is obviously the needle mover. King Henry's signing in Baltimore keeps the bruising identity of this offense intact.
He has run for over 1,100 yards in four of the last five seasons. Adding Henry to a Ravens offense that led the NFL in rushing attempts a year ago is a scary proposition for opposing defenses. Imagine lining up with Lamar Jackson and Henry across from you. No thanks.
The Henry signing will get a lot of attention, but he will be running behind an offensive line that needs to replace three starters including both starting guards.
Baltimore will also look to replace LB Patrick Queen, who left in free agency. The Ravens' defensive depth is some of the best in football, leaving them with little to do before the draft.
2] Cincinnati Bengals: A-
I really like what the Bengals have done this offseason.
Adding Zack Moss to replace Joe Mixon is likely a slight downgrade, but I expect the Bengals to draft another back. Mixon was a headache off the field, and Moss will fit perfectly in alongside second-year back Chase Brown. A massive offensive tackle, Trent Brown, was signed to open holes for the Bengals' backs.
WR Tee Higgins was franchise-tagged, much to his dismay. He likely sticks around for another season while the Bengals try to “win-now” in Joe Burrow’s Super Bowl window.
Adding veteran Mike Gesicki at tight end could be a sneaky good move, especially at just $3.25 million this year. Defensively, adding the safety tandem of Geno Stone and Vonn Bell will secure the back end of a secondary that allowed the sixth most passing yards against them in 2023.
3] Cleveland Browns: A
It’s not often you get to say this, but the Browns are kind of loaded.
The AFC North runners-up re-signed edge Za’Darius Smith (two years, $23.5 million). He’s a stud and anchors a defense who also brought back DL Shelby Harris and new combers at LB Devin Bush and Jordan Hicks.
Cleveland's offense will try to stay afloat until Nick Chubb can return, with the addition of D’Onta Foreman, who will share the load with Jerome Ford. A pair of backup quarterbacks were brought in as Joe Flacco exited, and Jameis Winston and Tyler Huntley joined the party.
The biggest splash was trading for former Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy. The Browns gave up a fourth- and fifth-round pick to acquire the former first-round receiver. They then ponied up $41 million guaranteed to extend him.
While underachieving in Denver, Jeudy will play a complementary role to Amari Cooper in the Browns' offense.
4] Pittsburgh Steelers: A
Anytime you can upgrade from Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph to Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, you get a passing grade.
The Steelers were dead in terms of actually competing because they didn’t have a legitimate quarterback. Now they’ve got a former Super Bowl winner who might be on his last legs and another whose legs might be his best asset. If anything, they’ll have higher ceiling options at the most important position in sports.
Who those QBs will throw to has changed a bit. Gone are Diontae Johnson and nearly 400 career receptions. Instead, newcomers Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, and Cordarrelle Patterson join George Pickens and Calvin Austin in the receiver room. Don’t be surprised if the Steelers address this position in the draft – where they’ve crushed it for seemingly decades.
Adding LB Patrick Queen from rival Baltimore will be an instant upgrade as the Steelers look to get back to rebound from an embarrassing playoff exit. Adding high-end corner Donte Jackson (trade from Carolina) in the Diontae Johnson deal will help fill a much-needed void on the outside.
