{"id":1564836,"date":"2023-05-15T14:40:19","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T18:40:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1564836"},"modified":"2023-05-15T14:40:20","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T18:40:20","slug":"nfl-offseason-grades-for-all-32-teams-which-franchise-improved-the-most-heading-into-the-2023-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/nfl-offseason-grades-for-all-32-teams-which-franchise-improved-the-most-heading-into-the-2023-season\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Offseason Grades for All 32 Teams: Which Franchise Improved the Most Heading Into the 2023 Season?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
From the New York Jets acquiring Aaron Rodgers to the Carolina Panthers going all-in to get Bryce Young<\/a> with the first overall pick of the draft, the NFL<\/a> has seen plenty of splashy moves made during the 2023 offseason. However, improvement on paper and a strong showing in our NFL offseason grades doesn't guarantee success on the field.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just ask Philadelphia Eagles fans about the infamous 2012 \u201cDream Team\u201d that ended up having a number of free-agent flops.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking at all 32 teams, it\u2019s easy to find a few no-doubt winners of the offseason. At the same time, a handful of franchises simply didn\u2019t do enough to take a leap forward. Considering free-agent additions and losses, trade acquisitions, coaching staff changes, and draft classes, here are the offseason grades for each and every team based on who improved the most heading into the 2023 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fact the Rams gave away Allen Robinson II says everything about where they are as a franchise. The \u201ceff them picks\u201d mentality has officially caught up and left LA in the unenviable position of having several expensive stars \u2014 and basically nothing else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Chargers\u2019 lack of cap space prevented them from doing anything meaningful in free agency. And even though first-round wideout Quentin Johnston brings size, he\u2019s basically a clone of veteran Mike Williams.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Justin Herbert deserves better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting arguably the best offensive tackle in the draft (Paris Johnson Jr.) was about the only positive development this offseason. The Cardinals didn\u2019t add anyone who\u2019ll substantially change their chances of competing in the NFC West.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n One reason for hope? First-year general manager Monti Ossenfort executed a flurry of trades to amass an unbelievable arsenal of picks for a 2024 draft class headlined by USC quarterback\/potential Kyler Murray replacement<\/a> Caleb Williams.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry are still around, it\u2019s clear the Titans are turning the page on that era. Ending Will Levis\u2019 slide in the second round<\/a> may provide some semblance of hope about the future of the most important position in sports, but this is a team that looks poised to take a major step back before things get better.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Washington\u2019s bizarre allegiance to second-year signal-caller Sam Howell came at the expense of potentially acquiring Lamar Jackson \u2014\u00a0or any other veteran quarterback, for that matter. And the fact the Commanders took an undersized corner (Emmanuel Forbes) with their first-round pick only makes their long-term outlook even more confusing.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a division where the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys are clearly better, how will new ownership feel about being the only team in the division without an answer at QB?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is there a bigger drop-off than going from the GOAT to Baker Mayfield? The Buccaneers are treading water with a roster that\u2019s getting older and more expensive by the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Derek Carr is who he is\u2014and he's not<\/em> a winning quarterback. The Saints may have competency at the position, but they\u2019re bound to be looking for a replacement sooner than later. Cap constraints prevented the team from retaining several free agents, including 2018 first-rounder Marcus Davenport.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The reigning champions let their starting left tackle walk, which means Patrick Mahomes must trust someone new to keep him out of harm\u2019s way. The only problem? Jawaan Taylor has spent his entire NFL career on the right side.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, the Chiefs should otherwise look largely the same, which isn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing given how last season ended.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Between Cam Robinson\u2019s suspension and the decision to let Jawaan Taylor walk, the Jaguars had no choice but to go offensive tackle on Day 1. Whether Anton Harrison lives up to his draft pedigree will go a long way in determining just how successful Trevor Lawrence is during his third season in Jacksonville.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coming off a headline-grabbing offseason in 2022, the Jaguars\u2019 quiet approach might say more about how much they\u2019ve improved since Urban Meyer got canned.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Poaching Javon Hargrave from the Eagles will make a dominant 49ers defense even better. However, losing former defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans shouldn\u2019t be overlooked, either. And because of all their trade activity in recent years, San Francisco didn\u2019t make its first selection until the end of the third round, when it grabbed Penn State safety Ji'Ayir Brown at No. 87 overall.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jordan Addison should replace the production lost by trading Adam Thielen. Yet outside of signing Byron Murphy Jr., none of the moves Minnesota made really moved the needle.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trading a haul for Russell Wilson and then sending picks for Sean Payton certainly seems like a risky way of trying to recapture the glory days. Denver massively overpaid for overrated offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey, and why draft a receiver in the second round if you already have plenty of capable bodies at that position and bigger holes to fill?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jimmy Garoppolo and Josh McDaniels are back together, but neither has proven capable of winning outside of New England. The offense should be solid enough, but Las Vegas still looks light on the other side of the ball, even after taking Tyree Wilson seventh overall.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting rid of a future Hall of Famer wasn\u2019t necessarily a bad move when considering the draft capital the Packers received for Aaron Rodgers. And the ironic part about Green Bay\u2019s offseason was that Brian Gutekunst actually devoted resources to playmakers for his quarterback.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n But is Jordan Love capable of following in his predecessor's footsteps and leading the Packers to the promised land? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking a running back with a top-10 pick when Desmond Ridder is your quarterback seems like a massive misallocation of resources. But if Bijan Robinson brings an added dimension to an offense with no shortage of playmakers, perhaps the Falcons can overcome their talent deficiency at quarterback and make a run in the wide-open NFC South.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is Daniel Jones really worth $40 million per year? We\u2019ll find out soon enough. At least the Giants added two athletic targets in tight end Darren Waller IV and receiver Parris Campbell.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adding Jalen Ramsey to a defense teeming with talent was a home-run move. Other than that, though, it was a fairly nondescript offseason for a Dolphins team that desperately needs Tua Tagovailoa to stay healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bill O\u2019Brien, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Mike Gesicki are supposed to turn the Patriots into a productive offense? While the Patriots got better on defense by securing cornerback Christian Gonzalez at No. 17, the rest of their class is questionable<\/a>, at best.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Browns got better up the middle by signing defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson to a four-year, $57 million deal. They also did well to acquire receiver Elijah Moore and Pro Bowl pass rusher Za\u2019Darius Smith in trades with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings, respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n But with no first- or second-round picks, it\u2019s tough to get overly excited about what Cleveland did this offseason. All three AFC North foes made more substantial improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brandon Beane made two solid moves by retaining Jordan Poyer and signing underrated running back Damien Harris. More importantly, the Bills made sure to get Josh Allen help in the draft by taking talented tight end Dalton Kincaid with the 25th overall pick before selecting 6-foot-5, 330-pound guard O\u2019Cyrus Torrence out of Florida in the second round.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n If Anthony Richardson harnesses his athletic gifts, the Colts should be a dangerous team for the next decade-plus. Taking a swing on a signal-caller with such rare athleticism could be the highlight of Chris Ballard\u2019s career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, the respected GM stayed true to that approach throughout the draft, adding premier athletes on both sides of the ball. Will that high-upside strategy pay off, though?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Drafting a nose tackle in the first round (Mazi Smith) may not have been exciting, but it\u2019ll help the Cowboys improve against the run. Luke Schoonmaker should quickly turn into one of Dak Prescott\u2019s favorite targets. So should Brandin Cooks, who Dallas acquired in a late-round pick swap.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n It wasn\u2019t a glamorous offseason by any means, but the Cowboys are in a better position to make a run in the NFC than they were a year ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Betting on Orlando Brown Jr. is a big risk that could also pay big dividends for a Bengals team that desperately needs to keep Joe Burrow upright. Cincinnati followed up with a no-nonsense draft that could yield three starters on defense, highlighted by high-upside pass-rusher Myles Murphy out of Clemson.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n After much speculation, the Ravens did the right thing by signing Lamar Jackson to a well-deserved extension<\/a>. Eric DeCosta also imported two big-time weapons for his franchise quarterback in Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it\u2019s fair to wonder whether an injury-prone veteran who hasn\u2019t hit 1,000 yards since 2019 and an undersized rookie will be enough to put Baltimore over the top in the AFC. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bringing Geno Smith back for what essentially amounts to a one-year, $27.5 million deal was a great move by John Schneider. Getting a potential All-Pro corner in Devon Witherspoon and the best receiver in the draft in Jaxon Smith-Njigba set the stage for three days of terrific work by Seattle\u2019s front office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bolstering their defense with Dre\u2019Mont Jones and Jarran Reed should help the Seahawks stop the run in 2023. Considering they ranked 30th in that category last season, even a marginal leap could turn them into one of the league\u2019s stingiest scoring units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You have to give Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes credit for trusting their process. Jahmyr Gibbs may have been drafted earlier than expected, but he offers exciting all-around ability. Meanwhile, linebacker Jack Campbell should develop into the leader of a defense that should be vastly improved with veterans Cam Sutton and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson on the back end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You could argue the Steelers drafted three<\/em> first-round-caliber players in Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones, Penn State corner Joey Porter Jr., and Georgia tight end Darnell Washington. All three should be instant-impact players and long-term building blocks. And with Pittsburgh bolstering its defense with interior pass rusher Larry Ogunjobi, future Hall of Fame corner Patrick Peterson, and linebackers Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts, the AFC North could belong to Kenny Pickett and Co.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether the Jets overpaid for Aaron Rodgers remains to be seen. However, there\u2019s no doubt New York is set up to compete for the Lombardi Trophy now that one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time will call the Meadowlands home. And with familiar targets like Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb joining an offense that features plenty of young talent at the skill positions, the Jets have a chance to be a true contender in a stacked AFC.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n For a fan base that hasn\u2019t had much to cheer about in recent years, the 2023 offseason couldn\u2019t have gone much better. DeMeco Ryans taking over as head coach should inject life into a franchise that has been desperate for some sense of direction.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, Texans fans should also be excited about seeing C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr. serving as the new leaders on their respective sides of the ball. Landing two elite prospects at premium positions, agreeing to an extension with left tackle Laremy Tunsil, and making solid free-agent signings like wideout Robert Woods, defensive back Jimmie Ward, and tight end Dalton Schultz firmly puts Houston in the \u201cA\u201d category.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ryan Poles deserves a round of applause for an excellent offseason that should make life much easier for Justin Fields. The second-year GM acquired a true No. 1 receiver (D.J. Moore) for his promising quarterback, addressed the team\u2019s biggest need in the first round (offensive tackle), and added quality players at other positions throughout the draft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, and the Bears defense should be much better in 2023 thanks to the additions of free-agent linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards and second-round defensive tackle Gervon Dexter. And with extra ammunition in the 2024 draft, Poles could turn the Bears into legit Super Bowl contenders in no time.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Talk about a full-scale makeover. After the disastrous Matt Rhule experience, Carolina now has a competent staff led by former Colts head coach Frank Reich. Most importantly, owner David Tepper can finally say he has a franchise quarterback.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Luckily for No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, the Panthers added plenty of playmaking options via free agency and the draft, including longtime Minnesota Vikings star Adam Thielen, former Eagles running back Miles Sanders, veteran tight end Hayden Hurst, and second-round receiver Jonathan Mingo out of Ole Miss.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only did Howie Roseman figure out a way to bring back Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, James Bradberry, and Darius Slay, but he also added two blue-chip prospects (plus talented cornerback Kelee Ringo) from the best defense in college football<\/a> to a unit that was already loaded.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus, signing Jalen Hurts to a long-term deal means the Eagles are set to compete for Super Bowl titles for years to come. Philadelphia should be considered the odds-on favorite to represent the NFC \u2014 again.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A look at how all 32 NFL teams have fared during the 2023 offseason.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":150,"featured_media":1564998,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[4933,5008,5100,5091],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe D Tier<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
32. Los Angeles Rams <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
31. Los Angeles Chargers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
30. Arizona Cardinals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
29. Tennessee Titans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
28. Washington Commanders <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The C Tier<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
26. New Orleans Saints <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
25. Kansas City Chiefs <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
24. Jacksonville Jaguars<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
23. San Francisco 49ers <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
22. Minnesota Vikings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
21. Denver Broncos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
20. Las Vegas Raiders <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
19. Green Bay Packers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
18. Atlanta Falcons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
17. New York Giants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
16. Miami Dolphins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
15. New England Patriots<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The B Tier<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
14. Cleveland Browns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
13. Buffalo Bills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
12. Indianapolis Colts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
11. Dallas Cowboys<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
10. Cincinnati Bengals <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. Baltimore Ravens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The A Tier<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
8. Seattle Seahawks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Detroit Lions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Pittsburgh Steelers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. New York Jets <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Houston Texans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Chicago Bears<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
2. Carolina Panthers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1. Philadelphia Eagles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n