The first two weeks of the NFL free-agent signing period featured multiple trades, high-profile cuts, a notorious failed physical examination in Oakland and battles over players between heated rivals. Rosters changed quickly as 405 unrestricted free agents hit the market. More than 100 of these UFAs have already changed teams. Nearly as many have re-signed with their 2013 teams. Teams aren't finished, but enough time has passed to make some initial assessments.
So, which teams fared the best? Which fared the worst? Which ones treaded water? Although the signing period remains open, the big money has been spent. It's time to sort through the transactions to hand out grades for all 32 teams.
ESPN Insiders Bill Polian, Louis Riddick, Matt Williamson and Field Yates joined me in sizing up what every team accomplished. Sources around the league also provided input. There were conflicting views and gray areas, plus some bold declarations. In every case, we tried to consider not only what teams accomplished but also the broader context. Moves that made sense for one team would have made little sense for another. Player valuation was also part of the equation, one reason the Atlanta Falcons fared worse than the Kansas City Chiefs.
A GRADES
Grade: A
Key signings: C Evan Dietrich-Smith, CB Alterraun Verner, DE Michael Johnson, CB Mike Jenkins, TE Brandon Myers, T Anthony Collins, DT Clinton McDonald, QB Josh McCown
Key subtractions: T Donald Penn, G Davin Joseph, CB Darrelle Revis, Jeremy Zuttah (traded to Ravens)
Releasing Revis opened the Buccaneers to criticism because he was arguably their most talented player on defense, at least when healthy. And, when the team named 34-year-old McCown its starting quarterback, it was fair to wonder whether the move undermined Mike Glennon in the long run. That was my initial thought, anyway. Polian couldn’t have been a bigger fan of Tampa Bay's moves, however.
"This may be the best job ever done in free agency, maybe since Green Bay signed Reggie White," Polian said. "They got rid of a lot of guys who either didn't fit, cost too much or were bad guys, and they added good guys and who fit perfectly at good prices. Dietrich-Smith is a really good player. Verner is a perfect Cover 2 corner. Michael Johnson is a little overpaid, but he will be very productive in that system. McCown will be the quarterback and a great mentor for [Glennon]."
A former personnel director familiar with the Buccaneers' thinking applauded Tampa Bay for aggressively targeting players to fit the new coaching staff. He pointed to the traditional color-coded scouting grades -- blue, red, purple, orange, etc. -- and said the Buccaneers emerged from the early stages of free agency with possibly only one "orange" (translation: below-average, backup level) starter on defense, putting head coach Lovie Smith in great position on that side of the ball.
"Their secondary is really good for what Lovie is going to do," he said. "The Mike linebacker and Will linebacker are perfect. They have three defensive ends and three inside guys. There is no 'orange' in that mix except at Sam linebacker, which is one position in that defense where it's OK."
The downside? "Lovie just wants old quarterbacks who don't make plays and don't hurt anyone, and that is what he got," Williamson said of McCown. "If I were a team needing a QB, I would be calling about Glennon. On defense, Verner is a better fit than Revis, but you are not better at that position."
Riddick put Tampa Bay and Arizona at the top of his list when ranking which teams had the best signing period thus far. "Tampa Bay, even though it's a lot of transactions and a lot of players to implement into a new scheme for everybody, they all fit the profile you associate with Lovie Smith and [defensive coordinator] Leslie Frazier in particular," Riddick said. "Verner is one of the great values in terms of what they paid for him, where he slots in with other veteran UFA deals and how they are going to use him. That is one of the best signings in all of free agency. McCown, whether he is the starter or not, you know it is solid and will work out. Michael Johnson is the only one that scares me. He can be hell on wheels, unblockable, a massive man, or he can play like he's 6 feet tall and 240 pounds."
B GRADES
Grade: B+
Key signings: LT Jared Veldheer, CB Antonio Cromartie, WR Ted Ginn Jr., RB Jonathan Dwyer
Key subtractions: LB Karlos Dansby, WR Andre Roberts, G Daryn Colledge
The Cardinals badly needed a left tackle, and they found one early in free agency when Veldheer agreed to a deal with $10.5 million in fully guaranteed money. The value seemed right when you consider Branden Albert ($20 million) and Eugene Monroe ($19 million) got much more in that category. The Cardinals went into last season with two starting tackles who weren't even on their roster when training camp opened. Veldheer puts them on firmer footing this year, particularly with 2013 first-round pick Jonathan Cooper returning from injury and taking over at left guard.
"Not a ton of moves here, but I really liked their decision to aggressively pursue Veldheer, the best left tackle out there in my estimation," Yates said. "Additionally, the money was fair value given the market. Re-signing Matt Shaughnessy doesn't do much to move the needle nationally, but he was terrific setting the edge as a run defender last year."
Free agency isn't just about adding players. It's about showing the discipline required to get good value, especially for teams building for the longer term. Keeping Dansby would have been nice, but the price Cleveland paid to wrest him away from Arizona went beyond what the Cardinals were willing to pay a 32-year-old linebacker. That was understandable. The Cardinals prepared for this moment by using a 2013 second-round pick on Kevin Minter, who now must play.
"Letting Dansby go and having Minter and Daryl Washington step in as the inside guys is how you build a team," Riddick said. "That is a smart move that goes under the radar. Ginn will help. Veldheer, while not spectacular, is very solid and a great kid. Dwyer has started to hit his stride, and his familiarity with [Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians] is key, too."
Arizona's patience in free agency also allowed the team to scoop up cornerback Cromartie on the cheap. Pairing Cromartie with Patrick Peterson arguably gives the Cardinals the top starting corner tandem in the NFC West, although that is not a given, considering the talent in that division.
Grade: B+
Key signings: CB Darrelle Revis, WR Julian Edelman, WR Brandon LaFell, CB Brandon Browner
Key subtractions: CB Aqib Talib, LB Brandon Spikes
Losing Talib could have hurt, but the Patriots came out looking smart when Revis fell into their laps on a one-year commitment with no long-term risk. Adding Browner on another low-risk deal armed the Patriots with two physical corners. Pro Football Focus had Revis ranked first and Talib ranked 58th in cumulative grading for cornerbacks last season. Others I consulted thought Revis would still need to prove he could regain top form after the ACL surgery he underwent in 2012.
"Tampa paid Revis $16 million to rehab," Polian said. "We won't know 'til this year."
Adding Revis and keeping Edelman made free agency a success for New England. A dead market for running backs should help the team keep LeGarrette Blount, their other priority free agent. News that defensive tackle Vince Wilfork wasn't happy about his contract situation surfaced after New England made the move for Revis. That was understandable from Wilfork's perspective, but it's tough to fault the Patriots for a move that made them better.
Grade: B+
Key signings: CB Aqib Talib, S T.J. Ward, WR Emmanuel Sanders, DE DeMarcus Ware
Key subtractions: WR Eric Decker, G Zane Beadles, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, LB Wesley Woodyard, CB Champ Bailey
On the surface, Denver paid out huge money for an older player (Ware) and one with an inconsistent track record on and off the field (Talib). That generally is not the way to go in free agency. However, the deals for Ware and especially for Talib follow the "pay-as-you-go" model that protects teams from future salary-cap damage if a marriage doesn't turn out as hoped. The Broncos will get good value as long as they get good 2014 seasons from Ware and Talib. They could bail from both deals after one year without compromising future plans.
"I like the toughness and the competitive profiles of the players they added," Riddick said. "I wonder about the value for Ware. He should be a pass-rusher strictly at this point. I like that they let Beadles go, as he was a little overrated. I liked the Andre Caldwell re-signing because, when he got his shot with Wes Welker out, he had a big game. Sanders is not as big or strong down the field on contested balls as Decker would be, but he is fast, he is competitive, he can hit the home run and, for the value they are getting, they will be just fine."
Talib stands to earn $12 million this year, but he'll have to remain on the roster to collect the injury-only guarantees stipulated in his contract for the second and third years. Ware is getting more in fully guaranteed money ($16.5 million), including $3.5 million in 2015. That second-year commitment makes his signing a little riskier.
These moves wouldn't have made as much sense for a team further from contending for a title. But in this case, taking a "win-now" mentality will not require Denver to pay a heavy price later.
Grade: B+
Key signings: DE Jared Allen, DL Lamarr Houston, DE Willie Young, S Ryan Mundy, CB Charles Tillman, LB D.J. Williams, S M.D. Jennings, LB Jordan Senn
Key subtractions: DE Julius Peppers, QB Josh McCown, DT Henry Melton, WR Devin Hester, RB Michael Bush, DT Corey Wootton
The Bears made a hard push for Michael Bennett before the signing period opened, only to come up short. They rebounded nicely by adding Houston from the Raiders and Allen from the Vikings. One secondary question is whether McCown's departure will negatively affect Jay Cutler, but conventional wisdom says a team can realistically pay just one quarterback. Chicago bet big on Cutler, but its quarterback room will be worse off for McCown's departure.
Peppers and Melton did not provide great return on investment last season, so the Bears moved on without them. Their defense remains in transition.
"When it is all said and done, what will they look like defensively?" Polian asked before the team added Allen. "We don't know yet because the system is changing, but nonetheless, the Bears did a pretty good job. Houston is a good signing, Young is a good signing, Senn is a good special-teams signing. They got Tillman back. Not bad."
Chicago did dump some older players, but the Bears added or re-signed nine players 29 or older, counting Allen. Houston, 26, was one of their younger signings.
"I like Houston a lot," Williamson said. "He is exactly what they need -- a big, run-stuffing end. He can play the three-technique in a pinch, too. Young is a starting-caliber defensive end, and the arrow is pointing up. I still want them to draft the best defensive player they can get, no matter what, because they are set on offense and the defense is still taking shape."
Grade: B+
Key signings: G Zane Beadles, DE Ziggy Hood, DE Chris Clemons, DE Red Bryant, DE Jason Babin, CB Will Blackmon
Key subtractions: RB Maurice Jones-Drew, C Brad Meester, QB Blaine Gabbert (traded)
Like the Buccaneers, the Jaguars found players ideally suited for the schemes they run. Clemons and Bryant can plug directly into the defense thanks to their experience under Jags head coach Gus Bradley in Seattle. Getting a sixth-round pick from San Francisco for Gabbert seemed admirable one year after the 49ers spent a sixth-rounder for Anquan Boldin. Gabbert was finished in Jacksonville.
"The Jaguars have quietly added potentially close to 10 new starters, and they haven't excessively paid for any," Yates said. "They found value in players such as Bryant and Clemons while addressing key areas such as the offensive line with Beadles. What is perhaps best about their efforts is that many of their deals are constructed in such a way that they amount to year-by-year decisions. That allows them to evaluate each player each season and move on without major financial penalty."
The Jaguars basically pulled off what the Raiders should have pulled off. Both teams were severely lacking in talent.
"The Jaguars got solid role players at good prices, and they needed guys who were at least professional," Polian said. "They did not have many. They added seven professional guys at great prices. That is good. And they got rid of Gabbert."
Grade: B
Key signings: LT Branden Albert, DL Earl Mitchell, G Shelley Smith, DT Randy Starks, CB Cortland Finnegan
Key subtractions: T Jonathan Martin, G Richie Incognito, CB Nolan Carroll, DL Paul Soliai
Free agency is about filling needs. The Dolphins' needs on the offensive line, particularly at tackle, were about as pronounced as any team's needs at any position. Moving aggressively to land Albert early in free agency made sense for the Dolphins under the circumstances.
"They did a nice job," Polian said. "Albert, while not the answer, is a helluva lot better than what they had. Mitchell is a big upgrade. They had to keep Starks. Finnegan is two continents better than Carroll. By and large, excellent work."
The Dolphins appear close to set on defense.
"I'd rather have Mitchell than Soliai, and keeping Brent Grimes was huge," Williamson said. "Shelley Smith is a vastly underrated pickup. They still need a running back, but who cares? They are clearly the second-best team in the AFC East right now."
Grade: B
Key signings: WR Golden Tate, DE Darryl Tapp, TE Brandon Pettigrew
Key subtractions: DE Willie Young, S Louis Delmas, WR Nate Burleson
A cap manager who followed the receiver market closely analyzed the Tate contract and liked it from the Lions' perspective. He liked how the three-year cap average lined up with the overall average, noting that Detroit could easily escape the deal before the fourth season if the outlook changes.
"I like Tate," Williamson said. "Tate is a good pickup and a really good complement to Calvin Johnson. That was their biggest need position, and now I think they can sit back on draft day and take the best defensive players available, particularly in the secondary. I'm a big believer in using free agency to set yourself up in the draft, and Detroit has done that here."
The Lions weren't particularly active early, but they didn't have to be.
Grade: B
Key signings: FS Malcolm Jenkins, SS Nate Allen, RB Darren Sproles (acquired via trade)
Key subtractions: WR Jason Avant
The Eagles went into free agency without many objectives after re-signing left tackle Jason Peters, center Jason Kelce, and receivers Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin. They will go into the draft with relatively few needs after re-signing Allen and adding Jenkins from New Orleans.
"I was praising them before free agency even opened," Williamson said. "They kept their own, including a bunch of guys familiar with that offense now. I don't like Jenkins that much, but safety was their biggest need and it is filled now. They are set up to take the best defensive player available throughout the entire draft. That is how I look at it."
Adding Sproles from New Orleans seemed like a luxury buy, but, with Chip Kelly there, the Eagles can get great value out of Sproles' skill set.
"That one will be interesting to see," Riddick said. "There are some down there in New Orleans who thought Darren's best days were long behind him and the wall was approaching faster than outsiders think. They made a calculated bet, and we'll see which team is right there. You just know the Saints know more about him than anybody else knows about him."
Grade: B
Key signings: S Jairus Byrd, T Zach Strief
Key subtractions: RB Darren Sproles (traded), CB Jabari Greer, WR Lance Moore, SS Roman Harper, DE Will Smith, FS Malcolm Jenkins
The Byrd signing was an aggressive move that made the Saints appear somewhat impervious to salary-cap restraints, but look at that list of players they subtracted. Are they really better?
"For guys [facing salary-cap pressure], they did a heckuva job," Polian said. "You could argue Byrd is overpaid, but every free agent is overpaid. Rob Ryan needs a guy like him in the secondary, so you have to think he'll make him productive. Sproles is a tough loss, though."
Riddick liked the way New Orleans parted with older, declining players such as Harper and Sproles. He also liked the expected dynamic between Byrd and fellow safety Kenny Vaccaro.
"I'm not a big Strief fan, and it'll be interesting to see whether he winds up being a starter or a depth player," Riddick said. "Byrd should make them better. I like how they are constructing their team even though they paid out the nose for Byrd."
Grade: B-
Key signings: CB Captain Munnerlyn, DT Linval Joseph, DT Corey Wootten, G Charlie Johnson, DE Everson Griffen, WR Jerome Simpson, QB Matt Cassel, DT Fred Evans, CB Derek Cox, LB Jasper Brinkley
Key subtractions: DE Jared Allen, CB Chris Cook, RB Toby Gerhart, LB Erin Henderson, TE John Carlson, DT Letroy Guion
The Vikings placed a big bet on Griffen after Michael Johnson signed with Tampa Bay instead. Money well spent, or a panicky reaction?
"Griffen could go off the deep end," Polian said. "Munnerlyn was a good pickup. Simpson, eh. Cassel, they did the right thing. Evans, not bad. Cox cannot play. On balance, OK."
How you view the Griffen signing likely will determine how you view the Vikings in free agency. Griffen is getting $19.8 million fully guaranteed.
"I'm a big Griffen fan and thought he would get big play in the market because there are only three immediate impact pass-rushers in the draft," Riddick said. "I like that re-sign. They were smart with the guys they let walk. I don't think Allen would be worth the money he wanted. It's not about what you have done; it's about what you are going to do."
Grade: B-
Key signings: S Antoine Bethea, CB Chris Cook, CB Eric Wright, K Phil Dawson, T Jonathan Martin (trade), QB Blaine Gabbert (trade)
Key subtractions: SS Donte Whitner, CB Tarell Brown, WR Mario Manningham, FB Anthony Dixon, CB Carlos Rogers
The 49ers have not been big spenders in free agency the past few seasons. They haven't had to be, for one. The team also believes in rewarding its own players before rewarding outsiders. That's why the rumors linking San Francisco to a deal for DeSean Jackson seemed unlikely. Sure, the 49ers would have interest in adding a player as talented as Jackson, but would they really pay him?
The move to acquire Gabbert seemed curious except for the fact that 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and staff were so good for Alex Smith, who also struggled early in his career. Gabbert has a 5-22 starting record with a 53 percent completion rate and 66.1 passer rating (22 TD, 24 INT). Smith had an 11-16 record with a 55.6 completion rate and 65.8 rating through the same number of starts (18 TD, 28 INT). Both players had their toughness questioned early in their careers. Smith survived and has thrived the past couple of seasons. One longtime GM I spoke to gave Gabbert almost zero shot at following a Smith-like path to revival, but he also couldn't fault the 49ers for investigating.
On the free-agency front, Polian drafted Bethea to Indianapolis and considers his signing a "home run" for the 49ers.
Grade: B-
Key signings: LT Eugene Monroe, LB Daryl Smith, WR Jacoby Jones, WR Steve Smith, C Jeremy Zuttah (acquired via trade)
Key subtractions: RT Michael Oher, CB Corey Graham, DL Arthur Jones
The Ravens re-signed their key free agents and made the right choice at tackle in letting Oher test the market. This is looking like a low-key offseason for Baltimore.
"Flacco always had a Derrick Mason, Anquan Boldin or Dennis Pitta -- that move-the-chains receiver he can target on third-and-7 when everyone in the building knows where the ball is going," Williamson said. "Steve Smith can be that guy now. That could be a good role for him at this stage. I don't think he has a lot of big plays left."
The Ravens do not have glaring needs. They could miss Graham, so corner could be a position of some need.
"The big thing the Ravens do, and do as well as anyone, is use free agency to not have major draft needs," Williamson said. "They always grab the guy on draft day who falls and the announcers wonder how he’s still available."
Polian called the Ravens’ moves solid. Riddick noted that most of their work was done via re-signings before free agency.
C GRADES
Grade: C+
Key signings: CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, S Quintin Demps, G Geoff Schwartz, CB Walter Thurmond, RB Rashad Jennings, WR Mario Manningham, LB Jon Beason, CB Trumaine McBride, LB Jameel McClain, G John Jerry
Key subtractions: C David Baas, G Kevin Boothe, DE Justin Tuck, TE Brandon Myers, WR Hakeem Nicks, S Ryan Mundy, DT Linval Joseph, LB Keith Rivers
The Giants were busy, and they needed to be after a disastrous 2013 season shined light on just how bad the team has drafted recently.
"They have made some good signings, but it is usually not a recipe for immediate success and that is what it sounds like they need there," Riddick said. "I do like what they've done in the secondary even though I don't like DRC's contract. I really like Thurmond. They need to draft some offensive linemen they can develop because they have missed on so many. They have so many needs."
Rodgers-Cromartie is a 27-year-old cornerback with a Pro Bowl on his résumé, but that is only part of the story. He's also on his fourth team in six years, a reflection of his inability to consistently meet expectations. Rodgers-Cromartie seemed like an ideal candidate for a pay-as-you-go contract. Instead, he got a $10 million signing bonus that will create a cap burden if the team needs to sever ties in the next couple of seasons.
The Giants did get better on their offensive line. "I'm a fan of Schwartz," Williamson said. "Jennings is a quality player -- not young, but with a lot of tread left. They did not go big in terms of money, but they got quality guys. With the moves they made, they said, 'Yeah, we are not a piece or two away. We need five starters in free agency and none will be Pro Bowlers, but give me a lineman, a corner, etc.' They are not huge winners or losers, but I approve of their approach."
Grade: C+
Key signings: DE Michael Bennett, DT Tony McDaniel, QB Tarvaris Jackson, K Steven Hauschka, TE Anthony McCoy
Key subtractions: WR Golden Tate, RT Breno Giacomini, DT Clinton McDonald, CB Walter Thurmond, CB Brandon Browner, DE Chris Clemons, DE Red Bryant, WR Sidney Rice
Keeping Bennett was the top priority. Getting Jared Allen would have qualified as a "home run" in Polian's estimation, but that deal never came together. The early stages of free agency could have gone better for the Super Bowl champs. Keeping Tate and re-signing Clemons would have been ideal. Adding Allen would have made up for losing Clemons. Tate certainly will be missed, but the Seahawks probably will seek an outside receiver with greater size now that the team appears set from the slot with Percy Harvin and Doug Baldwin. Allen's addition would more than offset Clemons' departure.
"They treaded water but didn't need to do much more than that," Polian said.
Grade: C+
Key signings: DT Vance Walker, LB Joe Mays, LB Frank Zombo, S Husain Abdullah
Key subtractions: LT Branden Albert, G Jon Asamoah, S Quintin Demps, WR Dexter McCluster, G Geoff Schwartz, DE Tyson Jackson, LB Akeem Jordan, CB Dunta Robinson
The Chiefs look like big losers in free agency, at least on paper. "They lost three starting offensive linemen on a run-first team with a quarterback who isn't Aaron Rodgers," Williamson said.
The other analysts generally liked Kansas City's approach. In their view, the biggest loss the Chiefs suffered might have involved a player they never signed. Watching Emmanuel Sanders sign with the division-rival Broncos after nearly signing with Kansas City had to hurt.
"Sanders would have been a perfect complement to Dwayne Bowe," Riddick said, "but I am good with what they are doing overall. Andy Reid knows what it is like to chase success in free agency and see what happens. They will be methodical. They players they lost, so what? McCluster is good. The other guys they lost aren't going to hurt them. I like the Walker signing, and he will give them much better value than Jackson even if Jackson had signed in Atlanta for the same money, which he did not."
Polian, never a fan of profligate free-agent spending during his run as a GM, commended the Chiefs for sound cap management.
"It's better than you think from a football standpoint," Polian said. "They added role players. They let go some highly paid big-name role players who were underperforming and brought back guys who were correctly paid and no worse than the guys they lost. On balance, pretty good."
Grade: C+
Key signings: LB D'Qwell Jackson, WR Hakeem Nicks, DL Arthur Jones, CB Vontae Davis, RB Ahmad Bradshaw, DE Fili Moala, C Phil Costa
Key subtractions: S Antoine Bethea, RB Donald Brown, C Samson Satele, RB Rashard Choice
Adding Jones and Jackson and re-signing Davis were the top priorities for the Colts. They knew Bethea could get away, and he did. That could be a difficult loss. Nicks was an intriguing addition and someone who could flourish catching passes from Andrew Luck in a prove-it year. A scout for another team said he liked the Jackson signing in part because Tennessee was also in the mix for him, but I think it's fair to point out that Indy keeps investing in nonpremium positions, including inside linebacker (Jackson) and running back (Trent Richardson).
"I like Arthur Jones and I like D'Qwell Jackson, but I don't know if I like Jackson at $10.4 million fully guaranteed," Yates said. "Davis is a nice player and cornerbacks matter, but shelling out $15 million fully guaranteed is a lot. I get that they have to be aggressive without a first-round pick, but they seem intent on overpaying just to make sure deals get done."
Grade: C+
Key signings: CB Tracy Porter, DT Jason Hatcher, G Shawn Lauvao, S Brandon Meriweather, WR Santana Moss, WR Andre Roberts, LB Darryl Sharpton, LB Akeem Jordan
Key subtractions: DE Darryl Tapp, DL Adam Carriker, LB London Fletcher
The Redskins were quiet when the big money was spent early in free agency and have signed players to relatively modest deals. They went for quantity over quality, perhaps counter to expectations for a team with significant needs and a history of imprudent spending. I was fine with the approach. If we're going to blast Washington for overpaying in past years, we can’t downgrade the Redskins too much for showing restraint.
"Not bad," Polian said. "This one is a little bit like Jacksonville. They added people who can play for them who are system fits at reasonable prices. And they got rid of some guys who really could not play."