Top Ten Best Off-Season Moves In The NFL

The free agency period of the NFL is one of the most exciting and interesting times of the year. In addition, this year’s draft adds an extra layer of excitement to the off-season moves. Chicago recently made a blocker-buster trade with Carolina, and other players could still be moved for draft capital.

Some teams make no-brainer moves that are easy to get behind, while others leave us wondering about what-if scenarios. Most years, I’d be doing the ten worst off-season moves as well, but there actually weren’t enough bad moves so far. Here we go over all of the best off-season moves and give a comprehensive analysis of each one. All trades completed after the 2022 season are included.

Best Off-Season Moves:

1. Atlanta Falcons – Jessie Bates: Four Years, 64 Million

Grade: A+

The Jessie Bates signing is an elite acquisition for two reasons. They get an elite player at a position that’s challenging to find, and they sign him on a reasonable deal. This loss is monumental for Cincinnati and a move they’ll likely regret. Jessie Bates is a legit Free Safety, as he has superb range and zone instincts.
He only gave up 1,103 yards in coverage over the past three years (including post-season) and came away with ten picks in that stretch. You simply aren’t finding that talent in the draft, and it’s foolish to pass his rare skillset up in the free agency. This move makes each one of the Corner’s jobs easier, not to mention the pass rush. It also fills a massive need for Atlanta and gives them the potential to have an elite secondary unit.

2. Miami Dolphins – Jalen Ramsey: Traded In Exchange For Hunter Long And The No. 77 Pick

Grade: A+

The trade to get Jalen Ramsey is up there with some of the best transactions ever. Ramsey may be 28 years old but is still arguably the best corner in football. Yes, Sauce Gardner had an incredible year, but he needs to sustain that success before taking the CB crown. Ramsey has proven year in and year out that he is a dominant football player.
Additionally, this scheme is an exceptional fit for Ramsey as it’s very similar to his old scheme. Also, one of the underrated aspects of Ramsey’s game is his run defense. He will undoubtedly bolster that area in a significant way. To acquire him for so cheap justifies why he is ranked so high on this list. The Dolphins now have a complete defense that’s ready to be ultra-competitive.

3. San Francisco 49ers – Javon Hargrave: Four Years, 84 Million, 40 Million Guaranteed

Grade: A

Javon Hargrave is a star player in an important position and is entirely worth this contract. When he played for Pittsburgh, he was a run-stuffing 4i defensive tackle. After signing with the Eagles in 2020, he came into his own as a pass rusher. He is now well-versed in both dimensions of the game. Hargrave has recorded a staggering 129 pressures over the past two seasons.
Moreover, the interior pass rush was a major weakness for the Niners last year, and now you fix that on a reasonable deal. Hargrave is precisely what they were hoping to get out of Javon Kinlaw. With only ten million guaranteed per year, this is a bargain.

4. New York Giants – Darren Waller: Traded In Exchange For The No. 100 Pick

Grade: A

This trade happened to occur as I was writing this, and boy, am I glad I didn’t finish before so. The move to get Darren Waller is a no-brainer and is up there for some of the best trades in recent memory. Considering Las Vegas wasn’t in a position to win, it makes sense they traded him, but the return is bewilderingly low.
Waller is among the best-receiving threats in the league and isn’t far off from being a quality blocker. His size-speed combo is scary, and he packages that with some of the best hands at the position. For only a late third-rounder, this trade is an absolute steal.

5. Chicago Bears – D.J. Moore, No. Nine Pick, No. 61 Pick, 2024 First-Rounder, 2025 Second-Rounder: Traded In Exchange For The No. One Pick

Grade: A

To get this type of haul for the number one overall pick is undoubtedly remarkable. I love that D.J. More is involved in the trade package and how you get a second-rounder this year. This trade sets up the Bears for a while and gives you a legit number-one receiving target. While you won’t land a blue-chipper anymore, it allows them to fill as many needs as possible. Is it the best draft haul of all time? Probably not, but I don’t see how you could complain about this return.

6. Minnesota Vikings – Marcus Davenport: One Year, 13 Million

Grade: A

More fans and analysts should be talking about how good of a signing this is. After the recent news that Za’Darius Smith is likely on his way out, it leaves a vacancy at EDGE. Marcus Davenport would fill that role beautifully.
He’s racked up an impressive 76 pressures over the past two seasons. But we all know Davenport can rush the passer; what he doesn’t get credit for is his run defense. He’s created 25 tackles for loss since becoming a saint and is one of the most robust EDGEs around. I don’t see how anyone could complain about this signing on just a one-year deal.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – CB Jamel Dean: Four Year, 52 Million, 26 Million Guaranteed

Grade: A

Jamel Dean was the best corner on this team last year. That may be an unpopular take with Carlton Davis III on the roster, but Dean is simply an outstanding press-man corner. Bringing him back is massive for the Bucs and will help them stay relevant. They still need to find a QB, but preventing this defense from going in shambles is fantastic.
Furthermore, the deal they gave him is perfect. He is stellar playing what they do in coverage, being a lot of press-man and cover three. He only gave up 412 yards in coverage last year, which was 9th in the NFL among corners with a min. of 394 snaps. I don’t see anything wrong with the value here, and he fills a crucial position.

8. Atlanta Falcons – Chris Lindstrom – Five Year, 105 million

Grade: A-

Some may be surprised to see Chris Lindstrom on this list, but resigning him was an absolute necessity. He has been the most outstanding Guard in football for two straight years and is a staple in this wide-zone offense.
While it may seem like a lot, Lindstrom is headed into his fifth season, and this contract doesn’t entirely go into play until 2024. This contract is a projection of what he’d be worth next year. To also lock him up for five years is tremendous, as it will likely ride through his entire prime. As the rest of the league is paying interior D-linemen a ton of money, why not spend the same on the offensive side?

9. Miami Dolphins – David Long: Two Years, 11 Million

Grade: A-

Signing LB Davig long to a cheap two-year deal is one of the most underrated moves. The Dolphins desperately needed a Mike Linebacker, and David Long has plenty of enough talent to fill that role.
Long is an undersized but one of football’s feistiest and most instinctive run defenders. He plays the run game at a borderline elite level. Moreover, his athleticism and coverage ability is far from poor. He may not be the most complete Linebacker, but he adds much-needed value to this defense for preferably cheap.

10. Los Angeles Chargers – Eric Kendricks: Two Years, 13.25 Million

Grade: A-

Eric Kendricks to the chargers is one of my favorite pairings during this period. He is an extraordinarily well-versed player in coverage and is more than serviceable in run defense.
He had a bit of a dismaying season in 2022, giving up nearly 700 yards (including post-season). However, he had a rather tricky role and will play alongside much better talent this year. He is also one of the most staggeringly impressive guys to watch on film. The Chargers needed to reinforce the Linebacker’s room, and this signing does just that. Only paying just over six and a half million a year is quite the steal.

Honorable Mentions:

Geno Smith was brought back on a surprisingly low deal, only costing 75 million over three years. After he went from backup to taking the Hawks to the playoffs and winning comeback player of the year, it became apparent he needed to be resigned. Smith is one of the main reasons they made it to the playoffs, and you need a QB to bridge the gap to a new starter. Resigning Smith needed to happen for Seattle, and it happened on a team-friendly deal.

The Colts traded Stephon Gilmore to the Cowboys for a fifth-round compensatory pick. This is a fantastic addition to the Cowboys and for excellent value. Dallas is ready to win now and could’ve used a better second corner. I actually believe Gilmore is the best Corner on the roster now, which is exciting for Cowboys fans.

Atlanta continues with an incredible off-season as they resigned Kaleb McGary on a three-year deal worth 34.5 million dollars. McGary is not only an exceptional scheme fit but is a young ascending player. His tough and gritty play is worth much more than what he got, making for an all-around elite offseason from Atlanta.

The Texans signed Jimmie Ward two a two-year deal with 13 million. This signing is excellent as it allows Pitre to go back to the slot. In addition, Ward is very familiar with Demeco Ryans’ system. The value here is also terrific, as it’s hard to find quality starters in that position.

Cam Sutton to the Lions is one of the most exciting pairings this year. He signed for just a three-year, 33 million dollar deal with 21.5 million guaranteed. Sutton has position flexibility meaning they can use him on the outside or in the slot. The past four years have been an impressive stretch for Sutton, and he’s coming off his best year. This signing is very underrated, but one that’s highly appreciated by Lions fans.