After an action packed first few days of free agency, the dust is beginning to settle. GMs and coaches have made quite an impact on what could be classified as the craziest, busiest and shocking offseason start in history.
Names like Ndamukong Suh, DeMarco Murray, Julius Thomas and Frank Gore will all be on the back of new jerseys come September. Not to mention some noteworthy trades, which in turn seen St Louis and Philadelphia swap starting QBs,(Nick Foles for Sam Bradford) Baltimore and New Orleans trading away a star player each for draft picks (Haloti Ngata to Detroit and Jimmy Graham to Seattle) and Chip Kelly going to work, mixing any player who was around for the Andy Reid era. Shady McCoy, a star RB in the league was sent to Buffalo in exchange for upstart Kiko Alonzo, a move no one expected not even Shady himself. Torrey Smith, drafted as a Raven, followed good pal Anquan Boldin to San Fran to help the 49ers squad in the heavily heated NFC west battles. Longtime Texan Andre Johnson shed his Houston colours to join his college teammate Frank Gore in the “house that Andrew took over”, the Indianapolis Colts, a signing that will no doubt propel Mr.Neck Beard and company to another playoff spot. And Brandon Marshall, a player who’s travelled throughout the league was sent to the New York Jets.
Some lower ranked players such as Cary Williams (signed with the Seahawks), Cory Redding (signed with the Cardinals), Eddie Royal (signed with the Bears) and numerous other players found a new home this week. Few players remain on the market as many teams locked up their acquisitions early in the first week of the free agent sweepstakes. Two notable teams who arguably made the biggest splash were the New York Jets and The Philadelphia Eagles.
After watching their rival New England Patriots dominate the division once again, it was time for John Idzik and crew to shake things up. The Jets went out on a limb and acquired the aforementioned Brandon Marshall, a WR who, if at the top of his game, will most definitely catapult the measly offense in New York. After a Super Bowl win, Darrelle Revis is also bringing his services to the “gangreen” with former Jets player, Antonio Cromartie. If Geno Smith isn’t all he’s cracked up to be and fails once again this season they have Ryan Fitzpatrick, a wily veteran waiting in the bullpen to take over.
The Eagles, led by Chip Kelly, made some unique but good for business moves. Trading their starting QB for an always injured Sam Bradford was a questionable choice. While many believe Chip is going to trade up somehow to land future first rounder Marcus Mariota, he denies it through and through, stating he will stay with the injury prone QB in Bradford. Releasing Maclin and Williams just to name a few, proved that Kelly wants to start from scratch and wipe out the Andy Reid era in its entirety. News broke later in the week that DeMarco Murray from the rival Dallas Cowboys would be joining the team, an athlete that will no doubt replace Shady McCoy and his statistical output.
So as a handful of franchises across the league have began their expedition to the Lombardi trophy with major changes in their organizations, it leaves one to believe that the rest of the teams who chose to sit the free agency craze out this year will be making their final adjustments come draft day in Chicago. The Baltimore Ravens being one of them. Ozzie Newsome is known for his “wait and see” attitude, allowing other teams to hand out every penny to undeserving players. It has worked for most of his tenure as GM and he won’t look to differ his reasoning anytime soon, a trait that the entire fanbase is more than fine with.
Only time will tell to be able to sort out the winners and losers of this years free agency flip flopping. Most armchair GMs will have their prediction but it is much too early to be able to assess the damage. New Olines in front of RBs, a completely different playbook and the dreaded two game return to play their former teams are all very valid reasons for mighty success or epic failure. All I know is the excitement for this season is at an all time high, September can’t come quick enough.
