Post by choon328 on Mar 27, 2015 19:30:54 GMT -5
ESPN
The 2015 NFL offseason has been incredibly active with both a lot of free-agent movement and some trades involving big-name players -- much more so than in previous years.
Let's forget for a moment the cost of each deal and the overall roster-building blueprint of every team. (For a look at some of those factors, check out Mike Sando's free-agency grades.) We're concerned here with a more immediate question: Which of these players changing uniforms are set up to make the biggest impact in their first seasons with their new teams? Here are the top 10, ranked in order of expected immediate impact.
(Note: If Adrian Peterson were to switch teams, he would rival our No. 1 for having the most impact. No matter where Peterson plays in 2015, I fully expect him to have a very productive season.)
1. Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets
The Jets had one of the worst cornerback groups in the NFL last year. Now, after signing Buster Skrine, Antonio Cromartie and -- most importantly -- Revis, they now rank among the best units in football. New head coach Todd Bowles had a similarly deep and talented group when he was defensive coordinator at Arizona, and because of this, the Cardinals blitzed a ton and played a very high percentage of dime defense, with six defensive backs on the field.
Revis will play the role of Patrick Peterson in Bowles' defense, but at this stage of their respective careers, Revis is the superior cover man. With a great three-man defensive line and the additions at cornerback, New York should have one of the best defenses in football -- and Revis could be a defensive player of the year candidate.
2. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Miami Dolphins
Suh is a wrecking machine. With most of the players listed here, it will be pointed out how this new player fits a certain scheme or influences his new team in a certain way; with Suh, he'll be great on any team in any scheme.
He makes everyone around him much better, and outside of J.J. Watt, he might be the best interior pass-rusher in all of football. It just so happens that a strong interior pass rush is what gives Tom Brady fits. I don't think that's a coincidence.
3. Jimmy Graham, TE, Seattle Seahawks
Graham is a great football player and a truly elite touchdown producer. His number of targets should decrease in Seattle, but his effectiveness might actually increase. Russell Wilson is a superb deep-seam-route passer, and Graham is as effective on this route as any tight end in recent memory. Wilson also trusts big targets (as we saw in the Super Bowl) and will put the ball almost "up for grabs" when his target has one-on-one coverage. Graham is amazing in these situations.
But what is most intriguing about this new marriage is the Seahawks' new lineup when they are in base personnel with two wide receivers on the field. Does the opposing defense play its base defense against that grouping and give Graham a favorable matchup, or does it play nickel and put lighter personnel on the field against the supreme running threat of Marshawn Lynch and Wilson? There isn't really a right answer to that question.
4. LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills
With Rex Ryan as the new head coach and a massive question mark at the quarterback position, the Bills could lead the NFL in carries next season. Ryan is as good as any head coach in the league at utilizing a formula that will rely on the running game and what should be a great Buffalo defense.
While Fred Jackson should still have a role, McCoy is going to get a lot of touches with his new team as its featured back. It wouldn't be surprising if McCoy racked up 60 or more receptions to go along with a heavy carry workload. The Bills traded for him for a reason.
5. Max Unger, C, New Orleans Saints
Because of Drew Brees' lack of height, and his great ability to step up in the pocket, New Orleans has valued interior offensive linemen as much as any team in football during the Brees era. But despite the Saints having big money invested in their starting guards in 2014, Brees' interior protection let him down in a big way.
Now, the Saints have added one of the best centers in football, which should pay off huge for Brees, as well as help New Orleans go to a more run-heavy offense with Mark Ingram and the newly signed C.J. Spiller. There is a caveat in that Unger has had injury issues, but if healthy, he'll make quite the impact.
6. Greg Hardy, DE, Dallas Cowboys
We're concentrating only on what Hardy can do on the field with this selection, and his availability could be limited by a league-mandated suspension. But Hardy was a dominant player in 2013, and after signing a one-year incentive-laden deal, he should remain very hungry to regain that dominance for the Cowboys so long as he's able to stay on the field. Hardy is very stout on the edge against the run, but is also a great pass-rusher who can win on the edge or as an inside pass-rusher when Dallas goes to its sub package defense. That makes him close to an every-down player.
Jeremy Mincey played well for the Cowboys in 2014, and DeMarcus Lawrence has a lot of ability that flashed at the end of the year. This could be a very good defensive line after the addition of Hardy. Behind this upgraded defensive line, Sean Lee needs to finally stay healthy and the Cowboys could use a new recruit or two for the second level via the draft. But their pass rush and overall play up front should make this an improved defense.
7. Rodney Hudson, C, Oakland Raiders
Already among the best centers in the league, Hudson keeps getting better every year, and with his high-end athletic ability and movement skills, he should fit the Raiders' new up-tempo offense extremely well.
Hudson is undersized by today's standards for the center position -- he's listed at 6-foot-2, 299 pounds -- but he has remarkable quickness as well as great balance and pad level, and therefore doesn't struggle with interior defensive linemen who outweigh him. Oakland's offensive line did a good job in protection last season, but its overall run blocking was abysmal. That should change with Hudson as the new leader of this group.
8. Orlando Franklin, OL, San Diego Chargers
San Diego was hit extremely hard with injuries to its offensive line last season; as a result, it did very little in the run game. At this stage of Philip Rivers' career, a running game is necessary for success, as we saw when Rivers and the entire offense wore down as last season progressed. The Chargers have simply asked too much of their signal-caller of late.
Franklin -- a giant, mauling lineman -- is a very good right tackle, but also quite accomplished at guard. With D.J. Fluker slated for right tackle or guard, the Chargers now have some flexibility on draft day, and can add either a tackle or guard prospect to their equation up front. Either way, this huge, physical line should be much improved with Franklin on board.
9. Brandon Marshall, WR, New York Jets
Marshall's speed and explosiveness are declining, but we can't forget that he played much of last season with a gimpy ankle. And, because of his ability to use his frame to "play big," Marshall is the type of receiver who won't be overly reliant on his declining speed as his career winds down.
The Jets don't have a great quarterback situation, but Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith should quickly grow fond of Marshall, who should rather easily emerge as New York's top receiving option. Despite missing three games in 2014, Marshall has caught 31 touchdowns over the past three seasons. He should immediately be New York's best weapon near the goal line.
10. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Maclin isn't a true No. 1 type of wide receiver, and isn't exceptional in one specific area of his game. He has good speed, but it is doubtful that Alex Smith has the downfield throwing ability to use that to the Chiefs' advantage with regularity.
But Maclin knows Andy Reid's system, and more than anything, Kansas City was simply in desperate need of help at the position. Maclin is a massive upgrade over Dwayne Bowe, and he gives the Chiefs a rather formidable overall group of skill-position players, with tight end Travis Kelce on the verge of breaking out and running back Jamaal Charles as the foundation of this offense.
The 2015 NFL offseason has been incredibly active with both a lot of free-agent movement and some trades involving big-name players -- much more so than in previous years.
Let's forget for a moment the cost of each deal and the overall roster-building blueprint of every team. (For a look at some of those factors, check out Mike Sando's free-agency grades.) We're concerned here with a more immediate question: Which of these players changing uniforms are set up to make the biggest impact in their first seasons with their new teams? Here are the top 10, ranked in order of expected immediate impact.
(Note: If Adrian Peterson were to switch teams, he would rival our No. 1 for having the most impact. No matter where Peterson plays in 2015, I fully expect him to have a very productive season.)
1. Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets
The Jets had one of the worst cornerback groups in the NFL last year. Now, after signing Buster Skrine, Antonio Cromartie and -- most importantly -- Revis, they now rank among the best units in football. New head coach Todd Bowles had a similarly deep and talented group when he was defensive coordinator at Arizona, and because of this, the Cardinals blitzed a ton and played a very high percentage of dime defense, with six defensive backs on the field.
Revis will play the role of Patrick Peterson in Bowles' defense, but at this stage of their respective careers, Revis is the superior cover man. With a great three-man defensive line and the additions at cornerback, New York should have one of the best defenses in football -- and Revis could be a defensive player of the year candidate.
2. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Miami Dolphins
Suh is a wrecking machine. With most of the players listed here, it will be pointed out how this new player fits a certain scheme or influences his new team in a certain way; with Suh, he'll be great on any team in any scheme.
He makes everyone around him much better, and outside of J.J. Watt, he might be the best interior pass-rusher in all of football. It just so happens that a strong interior pass rush is what gives Tom Brady fits. I don't think that's a coincidence.
3. Jimmy Graham, TE, Seattle Seahawks
Graham is a great football player and a truly elite touchdown producer. His number of targets should decrease in Seattle, but his effectiveness might actually increase. Russell Wilson is a superb deep-seam-route passer, and Graham is as effective on this route as any tight end in recent memory. Wilson also trusts big targets (as we saw in the Super Bowl) and will put the ball almost "up for grabs" when his target has one-on-one coverage. Graham is amazing in these situations.
But what is most intriguing about this new marriage is the Seahawks' new lineup when they are in base personnel with two wide receivers on the field. Does the opposing defense play its base defense against that grouping and give Graham a favorable matchup, or does it play nickel and put lighter personnel on the field against the supreme running threat of Marshawn Lynch and Wilson? There isn't really a right answer to that question.
4. LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills
With Rex Ryan as the new head coach and a massive question mark at the quarterback position, the Bills could lead the NFL in carries next season. Ryan is as good as any head coach in the league at utilizing a formula that will rely on the running game and what should be a great Buffalo defense.
While Fred Jackson should still have a role, McCoy is going to get a lot of touches with his new team as its featured back. It wouldn't be surprising if McCoy racked up 60 or more receptions to go along with a heavy carry workload. The Bills traded for him for a reason.
5. Max Unger, C, New Orleans Saints
Because of Drew Brees' lack of height, and his great ability to step up in the pocket, New Orleans has valued interior offensive linemen as much as any team in football during the Brees era. But despite the Saints having big money invested in their starting guards in 2014, Brees' interior protection let him down in a big way.
Now, the Saints have added one of the best centers in football, which should pay off huge for Brees, as well as help New Orleans go to a more run-heavy offense with Mark Ingram and the newly signed C.J. Spiller. There is a caveat in that Unger has had injury issues, but if healthy, he'll make quite the impact.
6. Greg Hardy, DE, Dallas Cowboys
We're concentrating only on what Hardy can do on the field with this selection, and his availability could be limited by a league-mandated suspension. But Hardy was a dominant player in 2013, and after signing a one-year incentive-laden deal, he should remain very hungry to regain that dominance for the Cowboys so long as he's able to stay on the field. Hardy is very stout on the edge against the run, but is also a great pass-rusher who can win on the edge or as an inside pass-rusher when Dallas goes to its sub package defense. That makes him close to an every-down player.
Jeremy Mincey played well for the Cowboys in 2014, and DeMarcus Lawrence has a lot of ability that flashed at the end of the year. This could be a very good defensive line after the addition of Hardy. Behind this upgraded defensive line, Sean Lee needs to finally stay healthy and the Cowboys could use a new recruit or two for the second level via the draft. But their pass rush and overall play up front should make this an improved defense.
7. Rodney Hudson, C, Oakland Raiders
Already among the best centers in the league, Hudson keeps getting better every year, and with his high-end athletic ability and movement skills, he should fit the Raiders' new up-tempo offense extremely well.
Hudson is undersized by today's standards for the center position -- he's listed at 6-foot-2, 299 pounds -- but he has remarkable quickness as well as great balance and pad level, and therefore doesn't struggle with interior defensive linemen who outweigh him. Oakland's offensive line did a good job in protection last season, but its overall run blocking was abysmal. That should change with Hudson as the new leader of this group.
8. Orlando Franklin, OL, San Diego Chargers
San Diego was hit extremely hard with injuries to its offensive line last season; as a result, it did very little in the run game. At this stage of Philip Rivers' career, a running game is necessary for success, as we saw when Rivers and the entire offense wore down as last season progressed. The Chargers have simply asked too much of their signal-caller of late.
Franklin -- a giant, mauling lineman -- is a very good right tackle, but also quite accomplished at guard. With D.J. Fluker slated for right tackle or guard, the Chargers now have some flexibility on draft day, and can add either a tackle or guard prospect to their equation up front. Either way, this huge, physical line should be much improved with Franklin on board.
9. Brandon Marshall, WR, New York Jets
Marshall's speed and explosiveness are declining, but we can't forget that he played much of last season with a gimpy ankle. And, because of his ability to use his frame to "play big," Marshall is the type of receiver who won't be overly reliant on his declining speed as his career winds down.
The Jets don't have a great quarterback situation, but Ryan Fitzpatrick and Geno Smith should quickly grow fond of Marshall, who should rather easily emerge as New York's top receiving option. Despite missing three games in 2014, Marshall has caught 31 touchdowns over the past three seasons. He should immediately be New York's best weapon near the goal line.
10. Jeremy Maclin, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Maclin isn't a true No. 1 type of wide receiver, and isn't exceptional in one specific area of his game. He has good speed, but it is doubtful that Alex Smith has the downfield throwing ability to use that to the Chiefs' advantage with regularity.
But Maclin knows Andy Reid's system, and more than anything, Kansas City was simply in desperate need of help at the position. Maclin is a massive upgrade over Dwayne Bowe, and he gives the Chiefs a rather formidable overall group of skill-position players, with tight end Travis Kelce on the verge of breaking out and running back Jamaal Charles as the foundation of this offense.
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