NFL free agency has died down a bit after a splurge of moves, leaving a number of winners and losers around the league. The New York Giants, Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars made big splashes, while the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns sat tight.
The Giants spend over $100 million on the first day of free agency to bring in new players, while the Raiders have received positive reviews from around the league about their moves. The Texans brought in two starters at major positions with Brock Osweiler and Lamar Miller, while the Jets added a savvy veteran in Matt Forte.
The Cleveland Browns sat by and watched Travis Benjamin and Alex Mack leave for new teams, but the team could change their fortunes by adding Robert Griffin III coming up. The Bengals will need to replace Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu for next season, while the Rams will have to replace Janoris Jenkins.
Some major names will be playing for new teams next season, and here is a look at some of the winners and losers from NFL free agency:
Winner: Houston Texans - Brock Osweiler, Lamar Miller
The Houston Texans were a playoff team last season, and some could argue that the team could have been Super Bowl bound if they had some better production at quarterback. The defense is stellar and now the team has a competent quarterback coming in with a high upside. While Osweiler may have been overpaid based on his situation at $72 million, it doesn't mean the move was a bad one. Osweiler has great potential to be a starter in the NFL after proving he could handle things in Denver last season, and he will be a better option than Brian Hoyer or Tom Savage for 2016.
Miller was considered to be one of the best free agents on the market and he will be a great option to replace Arian Foster. Foster had not been able to stay healthy for the past few years, which led to his release this offseason. Miller is young and is one of the fastest backs in football, and he should be a workhorse with the Texans. Miller rushed for 872 yards and eight touchdowns last year after putting up 1,099 yards the previous season.
Winner: New York Giants - Olivier Vernon, Damon Harrison, Janoris Jenkins, Jason Pierre-Paul
The Giants came into the offseason looking to upgrade on defense and they did just that in free agency. The team added Harrison and Vernon to a defensive line that desperately needed some talent and depth. The Giants were one of the worst teams in the league at stopping the run and putting pressure on the quarterback last season, and adding these two players should greatly improve those areas.
Jenkins at cornerback is another great addition, as the Giants also allowed the most passing yards per game in the league last season. Jenkins is productive and comes in after putting up 64 tackles, a forced fumble, three interceptions and 15 defended passes last year. The Giants overpaid for all of these players, but the team had salary cap space to spend and it had to go somewhere. If the team makes the playoffs, it will be money well spent.
Winner: New York Jets -- Matt Forte
Forte might be too old for the Chicago Bears, but he is a great fit for the Jets. He could end up being the best signing of the offseason if he does what he usually did in Chicago. While Forte rushed for 898 yards last season, the lowest total in his career, but he still managed to average more than four yards per carry. Over the last three seasons, Forte has combined for over 200 receptions and that will make him a weapon for the Jets. Forte gives New York another element on offense and he could be a safety net for whoever ends up starting at quarterback back for the Jets.
Loser: Denver Broncos -- Brock Osweiler, Malik Jackson, Danny Trevathan leave
The Broncos will be fine with whoever they get to replace Osweiler, but it still is a big hit losing the quarterback. The defense is strong enough to last without Trevathan and Jackson, but that doesn't mean those players can be replaced easily. Perception wise, the Broncos are one of the biggest losers in free agency, but it wasn't unexpected. For the most part, Super Bowl winning teams lose players the following season when those players look for big pay days. The Broncos were no different. While they might be losers now, the team should still be a contender in 2016 and that is what matters to John Elway.
Winner: Jacksonville Jaguars - Chris Ivory, Prince Amukamara, Malik Jackson
The Jaguars definitely overspent for Ivory and Jackson, but when you are a bad team that can be the best way to get players to sign. While the Jags may not end up in the playoffs right away, the team should be improved with Ivory and Jackson. Amukamara has been solid for the Giants and can start right away for Jacksonville.
Winner: Oakland Raiders - Sean Smith, Bruce Irvin, Kelechi Osemele
The Raiders are getting high marks for their solid moves in adding Smith, Irvin and Osemele. The moves by the Raiders helped add players at need areas and it could help put the team over the top in 2016. The team has been moving in the right direction with the development of Derek Carr and Amari Cooper, and these moves are another step in that direction. Smith is a great move at four years, $38 million, as he can be a No. 1 corner. Smith comes in after putting up 45 tackles, two interceptions and 12 defensed passes during the 2015 season.
