Every NFL Team's Smartest 2024 Offseason Decision So Far

NFL teams can dramatically alter the outlook of the upcoming season with offseason hirings, firings, signings and trades. Some of the smartest decisions fly under the radar at times.

Though many of the headline offseason moves are shrewd, we should also acknowledge roster and coaching staff tweaks that may not get enough praise.

This offseason, all 32 NFL teams have made at least one sharp decision—some of them more obvious than others. We'll highlight one for each club here.

You'll find a mix of big-time acquisitions, unheralded pickups and moves that come with multiple short- and long-term benefits.

The Arizona Cardinals haven't pulled off any flashy offseason moves, but they made necessary changes to their defensive front after giving up the most rushing yards per game last year.

Among Arizona's acquisitions for the defensive line, Justin Jones stands out. He's logged 10-plus tackles for loss in consecutive campaigns and finished the 2023 season with career highs in sacks (4.5) and pressures (22).

Even though Jones turns 28 in August, his best football may be in front of him. After dealing with some injuries between 2019 and 2021, he's played in every game since 2022.

As a key cog in the Cardinals' revamped defensive line, Jones could reach new career highs in run-stopping and pass-rushing stat categories.

The Atlanta Falcons' decision to sign quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract might wind up being their best move. However, he does come with some risk since he's coming off a torn Achilles.

The Falcons' shrewdest offseason addition is their new offensive coordinator, Zac Robinson. Even the most productive quarterbacks need a system that fits their strengths and play style, and the Falcons checked that box for Cousins with Robinson.

Over the last two years in Minnesota under head coach and offensive play-caller Kevin O'Connell, Cousins threw for 47 touchdowns and 19 interceptions with a 67.1 percent completion rate. Before tearing his Achilles last season, Cousins threw for 291.4 yards per game through eight contests, the second-highest average of his career.

Like O'Connell two years ago, Robinson comes from Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay's staff to work with Cousins as a first-time offensive play-caller.

Don't expect Robinson to copy and paste O'Connell's offensive system in Atlanta. But Cousins' recent production with one of McVay's former assistants bodes well for his ability to pick up the Falcons' new offensive scheme fairly quickly.

After coming up short against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, the Baltimore Ravens didn't need to do anything drastic in an attempt to get themselves over the hump in 2024. Instead, they doubled down on their physical identity.

The Ravens signed former Tennessee Titans star running back Derrick Henry to a two-year, $16 million contract. He's the perfect fit for a team known for its hard-nosed mentality.

Baltimore lost running back Gus Edwards to the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency, and J.K. Dobbins, who's coming off two injury-riddled seasons, remains a free agent. Henry will fill a void in the Ravens backfield, and he's an upgrade over Edwards and Dobbins even at 30 years old.

Henry has led the league in carries in four of the last five seasons. He's still capable of handling 15-20 rushing attempts per game, which will lessen the need for quarterback Lamar Jackson to take extra hits on designed runs to supplement the Ravens' ground attack.

After a slow career start, Buffalo Bills edge-rusher A.J. Epenesa could be on the verge of a breakout campaign.

In 2022 and 2023, Epenesa played fewer than 42 percent of the defensive snaps and logged 6.5 sacks, 14 pressures and seven tackles for loss in both seasons. He has started in only four of his 58 contests, but he could see a significant increase in snaps as Von Miller moves into the twilight of his career.

In 2023, Miller played a career-low 32 percent of the Bills' defensive snaps through 12 games and finished the season without a sack. He may have felt the lingering effects of his recovery from a torn ACL, but the soon-to-be 35-year-old may have to accept a lesser role on the edge to preserve himself for the duration of a season.

Epenesa could take advantage of more opportunities to rush the passer after serving in a backup role over the past few seasons. If that happens, he could easily outperform his two-year, $12 million extension.

The Bills may have signed him at a bargain rate knowing they will expand his role next season.

The Carolina Panthers' best offseason move happens to be their smartest decision.

Last year, quarterback Bryce Young played with a bottom-tier pass-catching group that was limited in dynamic playmaking ability. Adam Thielen led the unit across most receiving categories but averaged only 9.8 yards per catch.

The Panthers needed to add a receiver in his prime who could be a go-to target for Young. Instead of overpaying for a wideout on the free-agent market or giving up early-round draft capital for a high-end receiver via trade, they acquired Diontae Johnson and a seventh-round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers for cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth-round pick.

Carolina traded a No. 2 cornerback with one year left on his deal for a lead wide receiver who doesn't have any guaranteed money on the final season of his contract. The Panthers could redo Johnson's contract to show they want him long-term or let the season play out as a trial run for both sides.

Either way, Carolina can better assess Young's ceiling with one of the top route-running receivers in the league. Johnson averaged a career-high 14.1 yards per catch last season despite the Steelers' midseason changes to their offensive play-calling and instability at the quarterback position.

The Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers and hold the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft. Given their acquisitions on offense this offseason, they've set their next quarterback up for success.

The Bears signed center Coleman Shelton, running back D'Andre Swift and tight end Gerald Everett in free agency. However, veteran wideout Keenan Allen may be their most important addition in helping their new starting quarterback.

Despite missing four games last season, Allen still recorded a career-high 108 catches for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns. While wideout DJ Moore serves as the Bears' speedy big-play receiver, Allen could be a young quarterback's safety blanket in the passing game.

Allen doesn't stretch the field often, but he has a career 69.1 percent catch rate. The six-time Pro Bowl receiver will help his new quarterback move the chains on crucial third downs.

The Cincinnati Bengals regressed last year, mostly because Joe Burrow battled injuries going back to training camp, but their defense struggled mightily in pass coverage.

In 2023, the Bengals allowed a league-high 7.1 net yards per pass attempt. Trey Hendrickson generated a consistent pass rush, recording 17.5 sacks, but Cincinnati ranked 14th in pressure rate (22.4 percent).

Despite tying for eighth leaguewide in interceptions, the Bengals allowed far too many big plays over the top.

Cincinnati may have found a solution to its leaky coverage in Geno Stone. He can limit the number of explosive plays that the team allows in the passing game.

Last year, Stone recorded seven interceptions and allowed a passer rating of 63.8.

Alongside Vonn Bell and Dax Hill at safety, Stone could be the key difference-maker who forces opposing quarterbacks to settle for check-downs rather than test the secondary on deep throws.

For the past two years, the Cleveland Browns have tried to find a reliable No. 2 wide receiver to complement Amari Cooper. They drafted wideouts David Bell and Cedric Tillman in the third round of the last two drafts and acquired Elijah Moore from the New York Jets last offseason.

Bell and Tillman haven't produced enough in limited roles to earn more targets. Moore had a decent first year in Cleveland, hauling in 59 passes for 640 yards and two touchdowns, though his 5'10", 180-pound frame may lower his ceiling as a No. 2 option at wide receiver.

Jerry Jeudy, a 2020 first-rounder, could be an immediate upgrade over Moore. Jeudy has racked up at least 758 receiving yards in three of his four pro seasons.

Like Moore, Jeudy can line up on the outside or in the slot, but at 6'1" and 195 pounds, he has the size to make more of an impact on the boundary.

The Browns only gave up 2024 fifth- and sixth-round picks for Jeudy, which is the shrewd part of the acquisition. Though the team may have overpaid on his three-year, $58 million extension, the front office gets credit for a favorable trade.

The Dallas Cowboys have little margin for error with their offseason acquisitions. They're near the bottom of the league in cap space and have signed only a few players after losing multiple starters and rotational players in free agency.

On Monday, the Cowboys restructured quarterback Dak Prescott's contract and saved $4 million, per ESPN's Field Yates. While that doesn't seem like much, it should allow the front office to go bargain-bin hunting to fill positions of need.

Dallas lost defensive ends Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr., left tackle Tyron Smith, center Tyler Biadasz, running back Tony Pollard and Leighton Vander Esch (retired) over the past week. Pro Bowl offensive lineman Tyler Smith will likely slide into the left tackle spot full-time, but the Cowboys have a lot of work to do in filling the other positions.

After freeing up $4 million, Dallas could make a couple of moves for depth before the draft.

The Denver Broncos are in rebuild mode as they reshape the roster in head coach Sean Payton's second year with the team. They have cut or traded quarterback Russell Wilson, safety Justin Simmons and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy this offseason alone.

They did find a decent replacement for Simmons in Brandon Jones, whom they signed to a three-year, $20 million deal. He's a well-rounded safety with notable production against the run and in pass coverage.

In 2021, Jones recorded a career-high 79 tackles, six tackles for loss and five sacks primarily as a box safety. Last year, he saw most of his action in a deep safety role, recording two interceptions and four pass breakups while allowing a 75.3 passer rating.

Jones isn't nearly as accomplished as Simmons, but he's a solid starter who could continue to blossom in both safety spots.

In 2023, the Detroit Lions tied for third in net yards allowed per pass attempt (6.7) despite leading the league in pressure rate (28.2), which is a strong indication that they needed more help in their secondary.

The Lions attempted to address that by acquiring veteran cornerback Carlton Davis, a 2024 sixth-rounder and a 2025 sixth-rounder from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick.

Davis allowed a 96.1 passer rating last year, but he permitted a passer rating of 87.6 or lower in each of the previous four seasons. He might bounce back with a change of scenery.

Skeptics may question why the Lions didn't give up a little more for Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. Well, the Lions didn't have to sign Davis to a long-term contract, which might have been the case with Sneed. In fact, Detroit restructured Davis' deal to lower his 2024 cap hit by $4.5 million.

Davis isn't the same caliber cornerback as Sneed, but he will cost the Lions a lot less in the short term. He also fills one of their biggest needs, and his contract gives the team some flexibility at the position.

If the Lions select a cornerback in the early rounds of the upcoming draft, the rookie wouldn't have to live up to expectations right away behind Davis on the depth chart.

The Green Bay Packers may have found a two-for-one chess piece and glue guy to strengthen their secondary. They signed former New York Giants safety Xavier McKinney to a four-year, $67 million contract on the first day of the legal tampering period.

As a reliable tackler and playmaking coverage defender, McKinney can line up at both safety spots (deep and in the box).

In 2021, he played most of his snaps at free safety, logging a career-high five interceptions and 10 pass breakups. Last year, McKinney made his presence felt in the box and in the slot, recording a career-high 116 tackles (with an impressive 6.5 percent missed tackle rate), three interceptions and a team-leading 11 pass breakups

New Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley can get the most out of McKinney if he lines him up all over the field. Because of his versatile skill set, McKinney has Pro Bowl potential.

The Houston Texans made headlines when they signed four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter to a two-year, $49 million contract. That will likely wind up being their best move of the offseason considering his production and the importance of the edge-rusher position.

With that being said, the Texans traded a seventh-round pick to the Cincinnati Bengals for running back Joe Mixon, which is a steal in terms of value. He should be able to provide an immediate spark to the Texans' ground attack.

In 2023, Houston finished 22nd in rushing with lead running back Devin Singletary, who signed with the New York Giants in free agency. Second-year tailback Dameon Pierce regressed significantly after rushing for 939 yards and averaging 4.3 yards per carry as a rookie.

The Texans needed to bolster their backfield this offseason, particularly in the wake of Singletary's departure. They did so by trading a seventh-round pick for a tailback who's rushed for 1,034-plus yards in four of his seven NFL seasons.

After the trade, Houston signed Mixon to a three-year, $25.5 million restructured contract (h/t Spotrac), which is reasonable for a running back with his recent production.

The Indianapolis Colts franchise-tagged Michael Pittman Jr. in early March and then signed him to a three-year, $70 million extension with $46 million guaranteed one week later.

They shrewdly hammered out the deal before the start of the legal tampering period, when other wideouts earned big paydays.

Once free agency began, Calvin Ridley signed a massive four-year, $92 million contract (including $50 million guaranteed) with the Tennessee Titans. Meanwhile, franchise-tagged Cincinnati Bengals wideout Tee Higgins has requested a trade, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. If the Bengals deal him, his new team could sign him to a big-money extension.

Had the Colts waited until the mid-July franchise-tag extension deadline to sign Pittman to a long-term deal, they may have paid a more expensive price.

Last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars offensive line struggled with pressure, especially up the middle. Starting center Luke Fortner allowed four sacks in his 1,163 snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

Fortner, a 2022 third-round pick out of Kentucky, has had pass-protection issues in consecutive seasons. The newly signed Mitch Morse should be able to win the starting job at center and stabilize the interior of Jacksonville's offensive line.

The cap-strapped Buffalo Bills cut Morse to save $8.5 million in cap space, but the 31-year-old is still a quality starter, especially as a pass-blocker. Last season, Morse only allowed one sack in 1,128 snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

One of the Bills' cap casualties could be the answer to the Jaguars' shaky interior pass protection.

The Kansas City Chiefs took advantage of a shallow free-agent wide receiver market and signed Marquise Brown to a one-year, $7 million contract. Coming off a down year due to the Arizona Cardinals' instability at quarterback and a late-season heel injury, Brown comes to Kansas City at a relatively cheap price for a No. 2 wide receiver.

Brown caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns in the Baltimore Ravens' run-heavy offense in 2021. He can generate explosive plays over the top with his speed, although we haven't seen a lot of that from him since his collegiate years at Oklahoma.

With Patrick Mahomes as his quarterback, Brown could have his most productive season. He'll compete with fellow wideout Rashee Rice for targets, but 34-year-old tight end Travis Kelce may see a reduction in his target share as he moves into the twilight of his career.

The Chiefs needed another reliable pass-catcher, and Brown should be motivated to post big numbers before he hits the open market again in 2025.

The Las Vegas Raiders made an aggressive push to sign defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, whom they eventually inked to a four-year, $110 million deal. New Raiders general manager Tom Telesco gets bonus points for prioritizing him.

Going back several years, the Raiders have struggled to find a consistent playmaker on the interior of their defensive line. For most of the last five years, Maxx Crosby hasn't had a consistent pass-rushing partner to take some of the attention away from him.

Wilkins comes to Las Vegas following his breakout year as a pass-rusher, logging career highs in sacks (nine) and pressures (30). The 28-year-old still may have more room to grow as a pass-rusher.

In 2019, Wilkins played under Patrick Graham, who is now the Raiders' defensive coordinator. Perhaps his familiarity with the system will help him build on his standout 2023 campaign.

Right now, Los Angeles Chargers fans may be a bit skeptical about their new regime after it parted ways with wideouts Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.

However, head coach Jim Harbaugh has earned the benefit of the doubt. He's turned around or elevated multiple collegiate programs, along with the San Francisco 49ers in the early 2010s.

Coming off a national championship victory with the Michigan Wolverines, Harbaugh was the hottest name among head-coaching candidates. The Chargers pursued him, which is a change in the organization's approach to filling the position.

In recent years, the Chargers have hired unheralded or inexperienced head coaches to lead the team with little success. In 11 years under Mike McCoy, Anthony Lynn and Brandon Staley, they've made only three playoff appearances and won two postseason games.

Now, the Chargers turn to Harbaugh, whose teams (between FBS collegiate programs and the pros) have won 71 percent of games on his watch.

Though the immediate future may look bleak for the Chargers given their recent notable departures, Harbaugh's track record suggests they'll turn their fortunes around sooner than later.

Though he's undersized, Darious Williams tracks the ball well on the boundary and racks up interceptions and pass breakups in bunches.

In Williams' last season with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, he led the team in interceptions (four) and pass breakups (14). That offseason, he signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In two years with the Jaguars, Williams posted coverage numbers similar to his time in Los Angeles. Last season, he tied for the team lead with four interceptions and led Jacksonville with 19 pass breakups.

Williams is now going back to Los Angeles to fill one of the club's biggest needs, and the 31-year-old hasn't experienced much of a decline. The Rams promoted pass-rush coordinator and linebackers coach Chris Shula to replace former defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who is the Atlanta Falcons' new head coach.

Shula coached the linebackers during Williams' first stint with the team, so he should be familiar with the cornerback's strengths. Williams will likely have a smooth transition back to Los Angeles to bolster a young secondary.

The Miami Dolphins filled a major need in the middle of their defense by signing linebacker Jordyn Brooks. The 26-year-old is an ascending player who learned behind and alongside six-time All-Pro Bobby Wagner in Seattle.

Brooks takes the appropriate angles to limit ball-carriers on the ground and rarely whiffs on tackles. In both 2021 and 2022, he recorded 161-plus tackles and missed less than 7 percent of his tackle attempts.

In 2023, Brooks finished with 111 tackles and missed a career-high 9.8 percent of his tackle attempts. However, he provided more to the Seahawks pass rush, recording a career-high 4.5 sacks.

With edge-rushers Jaelan Phillips (torn Achilles) and Bradley Chubb (torn ACL) recovering from season-ending injuries, the Dolphins may experiment with Brooks as a pass-rusher in blitz packages. Brooks will likely become the leader of the Dolphins defense and make plays on all three downs.

The Minnesota Vikings are now in position to move up in the draft order for a quarterback. They acquired the 23rd overall pick and a 2024 seventh-rounder from the Houston Texans for 2024 second- and sixth-rounders and a 2025 second-rounder.

Minnesota lost Kirk Cousins in free agency and signed Sam Darnold to a one-year, $10 million deal as a stopgap. But unless Darnold shines as a starter, the Vikings still need a long-term answer under center.

In the wake of their trade with the Texans, the Vikings can now offer the Nos. 11 and 23 picks to the New England Patriots (No. 3 overall pick), Arizona Cardinals (No. 4 overall) and Los Angeles Chargers (No. 5 overall) for a shot at drafting one of the top quarterbacks.

With only the 11th pick in the first round, the Vikings likely would have missed out on blue-chip quarterback prospects such as UNC's Drake Maye and LSU's Jayden Daniels. A blockbuster move into a top-five spot would brighten the team's future outlook.

The Vikings still need to find a willing trade partner, but they're likely to pursue an aggressive move with a rebuilding club that prefers to accumulate draft capital.

The New England Patriots needed an offensive spark or two after they finished with the second-fewest points and the third-fewest yards per game last season. They might have found one in running back Antonio Gibson, whom they signed to a three-year, $11.25 million deal.

Given the number of big-name running backs on the free-agent market—including Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs and Austin Ekeler—Gibson flew under the radar. However, the hybrid tailback-receiver could post gaudy numbers in a Patriots offense that may feature his skill set.

During his time at Memphis, Gibson racked up most of his yards as a receiver. He rushed for 1,037 yards and seven touchdowns in his second year with the Washington Commanders, but he's hauled in 172 passes for 1,283 yards and seven touchdowns across his four NFL seasons.

"I'm not going to stick myself to just the third-down back. I want to compete just the same as everybody else. I feel like that's only going to make the running back room better," Gibson told reporters. "A lot of guys can catch out of the backfield, but I can line up outside and run routes. That's where the advantage [of playing wide receiver] comes in."

Gibson can spell running back Rhamondre Stevenson on the ground, though his pass-catching ability could be highly valued in New England. The Patriots don't have a dominant lead receiver with Kendrick Bourne, JuJu Smith-Schuster, K.J. Osborn and Demario Douglas atop the depth chart, so Gibson can add a new wrinkle to the passing attack.

The New Orleans Saints might be able to get more out of what they have on offense right now with their new play-caller.

New Orleans hired Klint Kubiak to replace Pete Carmichael Jr., whose offense moderately improved between 2022 and 2023 but sputtered for stretches last year. The Saints' offense finished 15th and 18th on third-down conversions and in red-zone scoring, respectively.

Kubiak may be able to improve the Saints' offensive scoring efficiency. In 2021, he called plays for the Minnesota Vikings offense, which finished ninth in red-zone touchdown percentage.

After a year as the San Francisco 49ers' passing-game coordinator, Kubiak may be able to carry over some principles from the Niners' fourth-ranked passing offense that can help elevate Derek Carr's production.

The Saints have one more year of guaranteed money earmarked for Carr, so they should try to make the best of their investment in him.

If they don't upgrade their current offensive personnel, the New York Giants may not score a ton of points in 2024. Quarterback Daniel Jones is coming off a disappointing and injury-riddled campaign, running back Saquon Barkley has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, and tight end Darren Waller is contemplating retirement.

With that said, the Giants may be able to stop opposing teams from posting high point totals as well, courtesy of their newly bolstered pass rush.

Big Blue acquired star edge-rusher Brian Burns and a 2024 fifth-round pick from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for 2024 second- and fifth-round picks along with a 2025 fifth-rounder. The Giants immediately signed him to a five-year, $141 million contract.

Burns will now line up alongside nose tackle Dexter Lawrence II and Kayvon Thibodeaux to form one of the league's strongest defensive fronts. The Giants spent a lot of money on him, but he'll likely be worth every cent on a team that may be led by its defense in 2024.

The New York Jets must do whatever it takes to protect quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who's coming off a torn Achilles at 40 years old. That explains why they signed former Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith to a one-year, $6.5 million incentive-laden contract.

Although Smith has battled injuries every year since 2016, he did suit up for at least 11 games in two of the last three seasons, and he still plays at a high level healthy. According to Pro Football Focus, he played 847 snaps and allowed only one sack in 2023.

Smith can lock down the left tackle spot while the Jets develop a top prospect at the position to succeed him in the near future. If the veteran misses time, Gang Green can get an early look at the rookie as he gets valuable playing experience.

As long as Smith stays healthy, he'll be a solid investment in keeping Rodgers upright.

Kellen Moore may have lost some steam as a head-coaching candidate after his Los Angeles Chargers offense finished 21st in scoring this past season. However, the Philadelphia Eagles made a smart decision to bring him back to the NFC East as their new offensive coordinator.

Moore served as the Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for five seasons, so he knows Dak Prescott's strengths and weaknesses. That could help the Eagles in critical divisional matchups.

Despite an underwhelming year with an injury-riddled Chargers offense that lost quarterback Justin Herbert and wideouts Keenan Allen and Mike Williams for stretches, Moore still has a solid track record as a play-caller. He's led three offenses that finished within the top six in scoring and/or total yards over the previous five years.

If Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and his playmakers stay healthy, Philadelphia's offense should be able to snap out of last year's late-season funk.

The Pittsburgh Steelers came to an agreement with Russell Wilson before the start of the legal tampering period for arguably the best offseason signing in terms of value.

The Denver Broncos will pay $38 million of Wilson's salary in 2024 because of his previous contract with them, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. He has a $1.2 million cap number for the Steelers, which is a minuscule cost relative to deals for starting signal-callers.

Statistically, Wilson had a decent 2023 season, throwing for 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 66.4 percent completion rate. Broncos head coach Sean Payton benched him in part because of "economic" reasons.

Pittsburgh added a serviceable quarterback who's looking to bounce back on a bargain-bin deal. Based on recent numbers, Wilson is a clear upgrade over Kenny Pickett, who requested a trade after the team signed the former Broncos signal-caller (h/t NFL Network's Tom Pelissero).

Regardless of how Wilson performs in the upcoming campaign, the Steelers' front office deserves applause for taking advantage of the Broncos' failed investment in the quarterback.

After an underwhelming career start with the Chicago Bears, Leonard Floyd has been highly productive with his two previous teams.

Floyd recorded at least 30 pressures and nine sacks in all three of his seasons with the Los Angeles Rams from 2020 through 2022. He undeniably benefited from Aaron Donald commanding double- and triple teams, though his high-level pass-rushing production didn't taper off with the Buffalo Bills last season.

In 2023, Floyd tied his career high in sacks (10.5), which also led all Bills defenders, and recorded 25 pressures.

The San Francisco 49ers allowed Chase Young to sign elsewhere in free agency, and they cut defensive lineman Arik Armstead. Floyd could post another double-digit sack season in a key role alongside Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave on the defensive front.

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider said the team didn't acquire Sam Howell to compete with Geno Smith. It's fine to take Schneider's word at face value for now, although no one should ignore the circumstances that may allow Howell to take over the offense in the near future.

Seattle has a new coaching staff led by head coach Mike Macdonald. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and his assistants don't have a strong allegiance to stick with Smith through any ups and downs.

After winning Comeback Player of the Year in 2022, Smith tailed off a bit this past season. He still earned his second straight Pro Bowl nod, but the Seahawks passing offense finished 14th in yards and 20th in touchdowns this past season compared to 11th and fourth in those respective categories in 2022.

If Smith's numbers continue to trend in the wrong direction, the Seahawks have a potential replacement in Howell, who's on a much cheaper deal.

As a 17-game starter with the Washington Commanders last year, Howell flashed some potential to be a long-term starter before his season went off the rails behind a shaky offensive line and head-scratching interceptions. Still, he threw for 3,946 yards and 21 touchdowns, along with a league-leading 21 interceptions.

Seattle essentially moved down 24 slots between the third and fourth rounds (No. 78 to No. 102) and 27 slots between the fifth and sixth rounds (No. 152 to No. 179) to acquire Howell. He's a developmental quarterback who could potentially take advantage of a starting opportunity down the road.

Relative to the salaries for starting quarterbacks, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Baker Mayfield to an appropriate three-year, $100 million deal. In terms of average annual salary and total guaranteed money ($50 million), his contract is in the middle of the pack among signal-callers, per Over the Cap.

With that being said, the Buccaneers can get their money's worth and more out of Mayfield because of his supporting cast, specifically five-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans.

On March 1, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that Evans planned to "explore his options" on the free-agent market. Three days later, Tampa Bay signed him to a two-year, $41 million extension.

Back in February, The Athletic's Jeff Howe reported that Mayfield and the Buccaneers would "pursue" a contract extension. With the plan to retain Mayfield in motion, Tampa Bay made a smart move to re-sign his top receiver.

Evans has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in all 10 of his NFL seasons, and he tied Miami Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill for a league-leading 13 touchdown receptions last year.

Mayfield signed a fair deal, though Evans' extension likely factored into his decision re-sign with the Buccaneers as well. The quarterback-receiver tandem can now continue to build on a strong 2023 campaign.

One can make the case that the Tennessee Titans had the best free-agent running back signing in terms of value.

Early in the legal tampering period, top running backs D'Andre Swift, Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry agreed to contracts worth at least $8 million annually with new teams. Barkley, Jacobs and Swift also signed up for $12.5 million or more in guarantees.

While some may view Tony Pollard as being a tier below those running backs, he's eclipsed 1,300 scrimmage yards and 1,000 rushing yards in back-to-back seasons. He also earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2022, although he averaged a career-low 4.0 yards per game as a starter with the Dallas Cowboys last season.

Tennessee signed Pollard on a three-year, $21.8 million deal with $10.5 million in guaranteed money. His contract ranks 10th among running backs in average annual salary and 16th in guaranteed money, per Spotrac.

Because of Pollard's dual-threat skill set, he may lead the Titans in scrimmage yards for the foreseeable future. Tennessee added a high-end running back at a decent price, and he may be the key to unlocking a new uptempo offense under head coach Brian Callahan.

The Washington Commanders' first year under Dan Quinn could look similar to the Houston Texans' first season under DeMeco Ryans.

Last year, the Texans hired an energetic defensive-minded head coach who built a quality staff and reached the playoffs with an impressive rookie quarterback who went second in the draft. The Commanders may have the same blueprint.

Quinn has already weakened a division rival by luring some of his former players from the Dallas Cowboys to Washington. Edge-rushers Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. and center Tyler Biadasz, left the Cowboys for the Commanders in the first week of free agency.

Quinn also convinced 33-year-old linebacker Bobby Wagner to join a rebuilding team. Wagner is in the twilight of his career, but he logged a league-high 183 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks to earn his ninth Pro Bowl nod last year. He can lead a revamped defense while still playing at a high level.

Though Quinn's six-year tenure with the Atlanta Falcons ended poorly, he led that team to the playoffs in back-to-back campaigns and to the Super Bowl in one of those years.

As a defensive play-caller, Quinn has fielded a top-five scoring unit in each of the past three seasons. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Commanders may not face the pressure of outscoring opponents in an offensive track meet with a stout defense on his side.

All draft information is provided by Tankathon. Player contract and team salary-cap information is provided by Over The Cap unless otherwise noted.

Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.