AFC Draft and free agency grades
AFC EAST:
Jets: C+: Let’s start with the draft. I liked their first round pick in Darron Lee, an athletic linebacker out of ohio state in the first round. Easily the best player available, nice pick. But their second round pick was a head scratcher. Christian Hackenberg is a quarterback out of penn state with potential, but makes bone head decisions and is sloppy on the field. The jets reached for him in the second round but that’s not the only problem. You have Geno Smith, former second round pick, Bryce Petty, last year’s fourth round pick and now Hackenberg. Lets just say you resign Fitzpatrick, your saying your keeping four quarterbacks? What if Fitz doesn’t come back who is going to start? Lots of questions that the jets need to answer. Their third round pick Jordan Jenkins, linebacker out of Georgia was a nice pick. Free agency didn’t go well either. Forte was a nice addition, but how much does he have left in the tank. They lost stars like Chris Ivory and Damon Harrison, and Fitzpatrick might not be back, so their QB situation looks startling. All in all it was a offseason to forget for the jets.
Patriots: C: They offseason was also not up to standard. They signed chris long which was solid but they traded chandler jones. For a bust and a second round pick. I don’t understand why they would do that when they already have too many guards. The rest of free agency was quiet. In the draft, the headlines were cyrus jones and Jacoby Brissett. Both were good picks, but they already had a backup quarterback. They really didn’t help themselves much this draft or in free agency. This offseason was mostly about Tom Brady and deflategate, which we are still talking about for some reason.
Bills: B: I actually liked what the bills did. After making a splash last year, all they really did this free agency is resign Left Tackle Cordy Glenn to a fat contract. In the draft, They did solid things. First round pick Shaq Lawson was a solid pick and around where he should have gone. 2nd round pick Reggie Ragland was a steal in the second round. The rest of the draft was a bunch of solid guys but overall it was a good draft. Very good offseason for the Bills.
Dolphins: C: Again another team where free agency killed their grade. They lost Oliver Vernon and shelby and replaced them with resigned aging injury prone Cameron wake and a player who has checked out in Mario Williams. In the Draft, the headline was laremy tunsil. Loved that pick. Xavien Howard was an okay pick but didn’t love it. Rest of the draft was like other teams nothing special. Just a head scratching offseason for them. By the way, who is the dolphins running back?
AFC North
steelers: B-: the steelers had an interesting offseason. They wanted to take William Jackson III out of Houston, a speedy corner but the bengals, who are all of a sudden very good at drafting, took the best player available. Desperate for corner help, the steelers reached for a raw but long athletic corner full of potential Artie burns out of Miami. Second round they continued to address the secondary with corner/ safety Sean Davis another athletic guy out of Maryland. They had other good picks like Javon Hargreave and Tyler Matakevich, so I did like everything about their draft except the first round pick. Their free agency was quiet and not much happened. The steelers will be competing for the super bowl next year.
bengals: A: the draft was a very successful one. First round pick William Jackson was my 3rd corner, and I see so much potential for him. Great pick, fell right in their laps. 2nd round pick Tyler Boyd will be the second wide out and be a great complement for AJ green. He is reliable and would be a favorite for Andy dalton with his ability. 4th round pick Andrew billings was an absolute steal for where he was drafted being a late first round pick. All and all the draft was another great for the bengals. In free agency it was mostly about resigning all their free agents. They lost Sanu and Marvin jones, but they resigned Adam jones and George iloka. It was a great offseason for the bengals and one of the reasons they are year in year out in the playoffs.
Ravens B+: their draft was about quantity over quality. They took Ronnie Stanley, an athletic tackle out of notre dame. I really liked him but didn’t love him. Solid pick though. In the second round, The Ravens took a high motor player out of Boise state, Kamalei correa. I love the pick and fills a big need. Later picks like Kenneth Dixon and Tavon young were great picks. In free agency, they picked up veterans like mike Wallace, Eric weddle, and Ben Watson. It was a great offseason for a reloading team.
browns C- the Browns had one position they really needed to address, quarterback, but instead they traded it away for many picks. They used those picks on players like Corey Coleman, Emmanual ogbah, joe Schobert, and Carl Nassib. They just got players and will be back at the top of the draft next year. Plus they took like 10 receivers in the draft. Browns fans pray you get the first pick for deshaun Watson. Free agency was RGIII but that’s about it. They did lose tashaun Gibson, Mitchell Schwartz and donte Whitner. Just bad.
AFC SOUTH
Jaguars A+ the Jaguars had maybe the perfect offseason. In the draft they look Jalen Ramsey. The number 1 player in the draft in my opinion, was the perfect fit for the Jaguars defense. He is a big press corner who reminds me of Sherman. Freak athlete. While in the second round, they got a top 5 talent with freak athletic talent. Throw in yannick Ngakouke and Sheldon and you have an amazing draft. In free agency, they picked up a beast in Malik Jackson, some offensive line help, and some secondary players in prince amukamara and tashaun Gibson. They had the best offseason I have seen in a while.
Titans B- I liked the trade out but I didn’t like the trade up. I thought they needed to take a guy to protect their franchise QB. But now they are stuck with two guys are are above average right tackles instead of a franchise left tackle and they gave up a second and 3rd next year. Kevin Dodd, Derrick Henry, and Austin Johnson were all good picks. But since I didn’t love any of their picks, and didn’t love their first round pick I didn’t go all in on their draft. The big free agency move was acquiring running back demarco Murray. He will try to revitalize his career in Tennessee.
Texans A: the Texans draft was a pretty good one but not great. I really didn’t like the will fuller pick, a wide out from notre dame, is a speedy one but not reliable. In the second round, they got a steady center in nick Martin, who will be a solid staring offensive lineman. In the 3rd round they look newly converted Braxton Miller, a reliable hands guy who is a great complement to Hopkins. In free agency, they went big. The big name was Brock osweiler. I don’t like him very much, but they need to try to get a quarterback, and even though he was overpaid, he is better then Brian hoyer. Lamar Miller adds explosiveness to the offense. With an improving offense and dominant defense they will be contenders.
Colts B+ there offseason was about being more tough up front. In the first round, they took a very reliable and veteran type player in center Ryan Kelly. He is a great leader and solid center and will anchor the offensive line for years. In the second round, they took TJ green safety out of Clemson and in the 3rd, la’raven Clark out of Texas tech. Another big guy up front. Later they got Hassan ridgeway, a beast who was a 2nd round pick who adds beef up front. Free agency, they decided to keep quiet and that might have been a good thing.
AFC WEST
Broncos- D: this was an offseason that was a disaster. They had two quarterbacks and now they have none. Marc Sanchez and Paxton lynch are their qb’s and lynch will take a while to develop. I liked their draft a lot actually. Booker and Simmons were both great picks. But a team isn’t a team without a quarterback in my opinion and right now they don’t have one. Their defense is still great, despite losses of Jackson and trevathan but they won’t be as good as last year.
Chargers: B: I kind of did like the Chargers draft. They reached for bosa but he is still a very good prospect. Then they took gates replacement in hunter Henry. Solid pick. Then they took Jatavis brown out of Akron. Then Joshua Perry. These are all solid picks that will definitely upgrade the team. Free agency was mostly Travis Benjamin and Casey Hayward, two players that are solid role players for a rebuilding team.
Chiefs: B-: the Chiefs had a quiet draft. They traded back and got a player loaded with potential in Chris jones, but he has a bad motor. They got a back up quarterback in Kevin hogan and k. Russell, a corner out of notre dame, is another solid pick. Free agency was not much. They upgraded their offensive line in Mitchell Schwartz, a star tackle that fills a need.
Raiders B+ I have a good feelings about the raiders in the playoffs this year. But onto the draft. Karl Joseph was a first round pick and will immediately replace Woodson. He looks like a young him, and looks like a raider with his aggressiveness and swag. Jihad ward and shilique Calhoun will both add depth to the defensive line. Then in the 4th round, they drafted a big name quarterback in Connor cook to be the teams backup. But they did the most for their team in free agency. Bruce Irvin, Kelechi osemele, Sean smith, and Reggie Nelson are all huge pickups with stud veterans. This is a team on the rise.
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