With a couple of weeks of no football, I thought I would take some time to write about one or two offseason moves that each NFL team might make...or at least something for each team that is relevant in fantasy. I don't have any inside information here, so these are just guesses other than my experience in reading the tea leaves. But who knows? A couple of these might even happen! This is also my first dive into looking at rookies for 2020, and I've picked quite a few to go to various teams. It's a fun exercise, but it's January. A fun exercise is
mostly all it will be.
Since I'm talking about every team, this is a long article. So I've highlighted team headlines in
fun colors and text in
BOLD in case you just want to scan and find my key points/players for each team.
Let's get to it!
AFC East
Buffalo Bills add a bruiser to their backfield
It's going to happen:
Frank Gore will finally retire. It
has to happen, right? Right?!? The Bills will then use one of their many 5th/6th round draft picks on a running back to complement Devin Singletary. I'm thinking it'll be a between-the-tackles guy like
Najee Harris if he falls that far or more realistically someone like
AJ Dillon. In addition to drafting a RB, Buffalo could muddle this backfield even further by adding a veteran like
Jordan Howard.
Miami Dolphins make a big splash in the 1st round of the draft
With Chan Gailey coming out of retirement to be the OC for the Dolphins, I think the front office actually exercises the option to keep Ryan Fitzpatrick around for one more year. Does that mean they won't draft a QB with their 1st round pick? Not at all. I think they'll still
draft Tua at #5, and since he's recovering from a hip injury, I say
Fitzpatrick is still the starting QB in Week 1 next season. And if Fitzmagic is at the helm, you have to like
DeVante Parker to build on the success he had this season. Also keep an eye on the running back situation in Miami because this is wide open. And even if this team is still bad in 2020, it would be interesting if they
use a first rounder on D'Andre Swift. They have the #18 overall pick (from the Steelers) and the #28 pick (from the Texans). I think one of those will grab the running back of the future to go along with Tua.
New England Patriots address their need at tight end
I'm hoping for Tom Brady to finally retire this offseason, but I wouldn't count on it. What I
do expect to happen is the Patriots fix their tight end situation with more than a band aid. I think they'll scoop up a free agent like
Tyler Eifert in March, and he'll magically stay healthy and be amazing in New England. I also think it's possible they use another 1st round pick to find
Julian Edelman's ultimate replacement in Justin Jefferson. The LSU product has likely sent his draft stock into the first round with his postseason play, and he looks like he might be worth it.
New York Jets replace free agent RBs and WRs
This team has a lot of unrestricted free agents who I expect will be elsewhere this year including: Robby Anderson, Demaryius Thomas, Bilal Powell, and Ty Montgomery. With virtually no outside receivers left, I think the Jets will sign
Emmanuel Sanders and then draft
Jerry Jeudy with the #11 overall pick a month later. As far as the running back position, Adam Gase has made it abundantly clear he's not the biggest fan of Le'Veon Bell, so I think
the Jets could draft a running back in the 3rd round. Depending on who is available when they pick there, maybe
J.K. Dobbins could land in New York and push Bell a bit.
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens build the best fantasy defense
Let me take a moment to give fantasy defense some love. The Ravens tend to do a good job of rebuilding their D through the draft and free agency, and they've already started by signing Marcus Peters to a contract extension. With Jimmy Smith surely gone this offseason and Brandon Carr a potential cut due to cap space, I wouldn't be surprised to see Baltimore draft a corner in April. In fact, they may even move
up a bit to take one because teams like the Niners and Saints may also be looking at that position in Round 1. I also expect Baltimore to retain Matt Judon for at least a season (franchise tag) if not a longer term contract extension (which I'm hopeful for). Keep in mind that with the best rushing attack in the NFL led by Lamar Jackson, the defense benefits from being off the field and usually playing from ahead.
All of this to say that if this top-5 defense improves this offseason, you could be looking at the #1 fantasy unit in 2020.
Cincinnati Bengals draft Burrow, lose A.J. Green
Joe Burrow is probably already looking for an apartment in Cincinnati, and everyone knows that's happening with the #1 pick. And with that shiny new toy, I expect the Bengals to draft some offensive lineman this year. They could even
bring back fan favorite Andrew Whitworth if he's not quite ready to retire and the Rams let him walk. They could move him inside to the guard position, and he'd help their interior a great deal for the next year or two. I do think A.J. Green and Tyler Eifert will be gone though (both are unrestricted free agents), so I'll say Cincy adds a free agent to a decent receiving core anchored by Tyler Boyd and John Ross. I think they might bring
Breshad Perriman back to Ohio, and he'll just love playing against his former team (the Browns) twice a year.
Cleveland Browns cut Kareem Hunt
Speaking of the Browns, they cleaned house with Kitchens and Dorsey now gone, so predicting what they'll do in 2020 is tough. They finally hired a new GM in Andrew Berry, and his first big decision will be
what to do with Kareem Hunt. My guess is they'll put a tender on him and trade him for a 3rd or 4th round draft pick. I have no idea what they'll do with him, but I have a feeling they'll mess it up somehow. And with this latest drama with Hunt's traffic stop and having a bit of marijuana on him, I think the Browns could end up just cutting him. Hunt's fantasy value would certainly be a lot higher somewhere else where he'd have a better chance to be the feature back, but he could also be starting the 2020 season serving another suspension. If Hunt is out of Cleveland, Nick Chubb could legitimately have a shot to be the #1 fantasy RB this year.
Pittsburgh Steelers draft Big Ben's successor in the middle rounds
This is a team without a 1st round pick in 2020 due to the trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick, and they only have 5 picks in the draft currently. But hey...they have Minkah Fitzpatrick! Like the Ravens, I expect the Steelers to focus on their defense this offseason. I'm not sure they'll re-sign Bud Dupree, but I'm sure they'll fill some holes through free agency and use their 2nd rounder on a defensive position need. After that, I could see them using one of their 4th round picks on a QB like
Jake Fromm. It didn't look like Mason Rudolph or Duck Hodges were the answer to the question about who takes over when Ben retires, and that could come sooner than Steelers fans would like. Fromm could fall into the 4th round and has the potential to end up as a franchise QB.
AFC South
Houston Texans replace boring RBs with more boring RBs
Lamar Miller and Carlos Hyde are both unrestricted free agents and also dangerously close to the old age of 30 (old for a running back, of course). While it's possible they re-sign one of these guys, I think it's more likely they don't re-sign either. They traded some of their high 2020 picks for guys like Leremy Tunsil, Kenny Stills, and Duke Johnson. But they still have plenty of picks, including some 3rd round compensatory picks for losing guys last year in free agency. It was apparent this season
the Texans don't trust Duke to a workhorse role, so I fully expect them to draft someone and/or bring in a veteran. I'll say they use a 3rd or 4th round pick on
Lamical Perine or J.J. Taylor and sign someone like
Peyton Barber to compete for a share of the early down work.
Indianapolis Colts draft Andrew Luck's replacement
The Colts have already signed former VCU basketball standout Mo Alie-Cox to a 1-year contract extension, which tells me they're
preparing for life after Eric Ebron. They also re-signed Zach Pascal to a 1-year extension, which tells me they're probably not planning to make Devin Funchess or Chester Rogers a priority this offseason. That leaves the Colts with a WR trio of T.Y. Hilton, Zach Pascal, and Parris Campbell. But it also means they'll be looking to add more depth if they let those other guys walk. I'd look for the Colts to acquire someone like
Demarcus Robinson or Tajae Sharpe via free agency and add a receiver at the end of the draft. I'm burying the lead though because the big move in Indy would be for them to use their 1st or 2nd round pick on the real
successor to Andrew Luck. They signed Jacoby Brissett to a 2-year contract worth $30 million, but I think
they'll draft Jacob Eason. So their QBs would then be...Jacob and Jacoby!
Jacksonville Jaguars draft a RB with Fournette threatening a holdout
Sure, this is a total guess that
Leonard Fournette decides to hold out. But if recent history holds true, he feels like the next guy to do it, right? I mean, the Jags currently don't have the cap space to give him a bigger contract, so this would be a mess that likely would end in Fournette not playing in Jacksonville ever again.
Ryquell Armstead would certainly be an interesting name in 2020 drafts if something like this actually happens, but I think the Jags would also be wise to draft someone like
Cam Akers to add to the mix. And we all know they can't go a year without drafting a wide receiver, so I'll take a guess and say they land
Tyler Johnson. I assume none of these draft picks happen in the early rounds though because with Jalen Ramsey gone, you have to think the Jags use a 1st or 2nd round pick on a cornerback.
Tennessee Titans re-sign both Tannehill AND Henry
I'm not sure if the Titans have the cap space to sign both Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill this offseason, but I'm sure both will be a priority. I'd say Tannehill has made himself the
higher priority, but I'd expect them to have both players next season. I'll say
they re-sign the QB to a long term deal and slap the franchise tag on Henry. The Titans will then sign one of the ex-Texans:
Carlos Hyde or Lamar Miller in case Henry holds out himself or if they lose him after
next season. Just please give me Tannehill so A.J. Brown can continue to develop into the next T.O. slash Andre Johnson. Thank youuuuuu!
AFC West
Denver Broncos sign A.J. Green AND draft a stud WR
Drew Lock seems to be the guy moving forward in Denver. I mean, did you see him rapping on the sidelines in Week 17? There's no going back to Flacco after that. Courtland Sutton is a guy I was
very wrong on in 2019, and he has developed into a legitimate #1 WR. But with Emmanuel Sanders no longer in Denver, the Broncos don't really have a #2. It's possible DaeSean Hamilton develops into that, but I also think it's very possible John Elway makes some moves to get that #2 for his young QB. I expect them to add a receiver in free agency, and they could even be in the market for
A.J. Green. But Elway grabbed Noah Fant in the first round last year, and it's possible he takes a receiver with the #15 selection if someone he really likes is there. Jerry Jeudy is the big name in this draft, but most expect he'll be gone by the middle of the 1st. I could see the Broncos taking
CeeDee Lamb out of Oklahoma or maybe stick with a local guy in
Laviska Shenault, Jr.
Kansas City Chiefs draft a RB in Round 3 and he's a top-12 fantasy RB in 2020
I was surprised the Chiefs didn't take a running back until Round 6 last year (Darwin Thompson), but I'm doubling down and saying
they'll draft the next Kareem Hunt in the 2020 draft. LeSean McCoy was a 1 year rental and looks like he's about done at this point in his career. Damien and Darrel Williams both looked OK at times this year, but neither could stay healthy. Both are signed through the 2020 season though, so it's possible KC rolls with this same backfield. But I'm not buying that. I think they'll draft someone like
Zack Moss out of Utah, and Andy Reid will turn him into a star. And if it's not Moss, just pay attention if they take a guy in the 3rd or 4th round (especially if they decide to trade another late pick to move up a few spots to take "their guy").
Oakland Raiders add multiple receivers through the draft and free agency...again
Antonio Brown was obviously a huge bust in Oakland (and New England...and probably anywhere else he exists these days). Tyrell Williams is the de facto #1 in for this team, but there's no way this team starts their new season in Vegas with that guy as their best receiver. I could see them throwing a ton of money at a guy like
Robby Anderson. It's also highly likely Gruden watched the National Championship game and fell in love with another Clemson Tiger like he did with Hunter Renfrow last year. Keep in mind the NFL draft is IN VEGAS this year, so I fully expect Oakland to draft an offensive position player with one of their 1st round picks.
Tee Higgins could be that guy in 2020.
Los Angeles Chargers draft Justin Herbert
There will be a lot to figure out with this team in the offseason. Philip Rivers is likely gone, and I'd expect Melvin Gordon to be as well. Austin Ekeler is a restricted free agent, so I'm sure the Chargers will keep him around for at least another year. Hunter Henry is an unrestricted free agent though, so he could very well be gone. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams will be back, but who will be throwing them the ball? Tyrod Taylor? I don't think so. I think the Chargers will try to sign someone like
Teddy Bridgewater, and I think they'll
also use their high draft pick on
Justin Herbert.
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys extend Dak and franchise Amari
With Jason Garrett FINALLY gone, the Cowboys will now shift their focus to making Dak Prescott a rich man this offseason. I don't think they'll do the same with Amari Cooper though (at least not yet).
Amari Cooper could be gone but more likely
hit with the franchise tag. Either way, I think
Jalen Reagor out of TCU might be a name to know when looking at the first couple of picks for the Cowboys. The guy can blow by defenders, and if he could do it in college, he can probably do it in the NFC East. Randall Cobb and Tavon Austin are free agents, so
adding Reagor to replace Cobb in the slot makes some sense.
New York Giants sign Blake Bortles
I realize that's not much of a headline, but I kind of think the Giants don't need to make a ton of moves this offseason in regards to the main fantasy positions. If I were to take a guess at an offseason move for the Giants, it'll be for them to sign a veteran QB like
Blake Bortles or Blaine Gabbert (or some other former bust for the Jags) to backup Danny Dimes. The biggest news of the Giants offseason has already happened from revamping their coaching staff to
Eli Manning's retirement. Other than that, I don't think there will be much to talk about. I will say that Daniel Jones is actually going to be an interesting late round quarterback for me in 2020 drafts though. He has some great weapons and isn't afraid to sling it. If the Giants continue to improve their offensive line, this is a guy you'll be able to draft in Round 9 or 10 and has top-5 potential.
Philadelphia Eagles draft a WR in the first round
You know what the Eagles need to do this offseason to improve? They need to get healthy! Well, that
and improve their secondary. It'll be interesting to see if they re-sign Jalen Mills, but even if they do, that unit is still suspect. Opposing teams are going to put up some points against Philly, so they're going to need to add weapons for Wentz to keep up. The Eagles used some draft capital on WR last year, but I think they'll have to do the same in 2020. I could see them drafting a guy like
Henry Ruggs in the first round, and he could have an instant impact on this team and in fantasy.
So long, Bruce Allen. Actually "good riddance" is way more fitting. With a new GM and head coach (love the Ron Rivera hire), this team is likely to make even more changes this offseason. Dan Snyder tends to treat the Redskins like a fantasy team, so I fully expect them to make a big signing or two in free agency. I actually think it's possible they try to get Cam Newton to reunite with his old coach, and if they strike out there, I could see them making an offer to an older QB like Philip Rivers. Even worse than that would be paying way too much to a running back like Melvin Gordon. So I'll say
the Cam Newton thing doesn't work out and the Redskins will get either Rivers or Gordon this offseason. I also expect us to address the tight end position, so someone like
Jared Pinkney or Brycen Hopkins maybe? I assume we'll take Chase Young with the #2 overall pick, so getting an offensive weapon after that pick makes sense.
NFC North
Chicago Bears cut Tre Burton and sign a big free agent tight end
Speaking of tight end, Tre Burton has been mostly a bust in his time so far in Chicago. I think it's possible the Bears move on from him, as they have a potential out with his contract this offseason. If they do that, I could see them trying this thing again and sign
Eric Ebron or Hunter Henry. They seem to be committed to Trubisky, and they already have some great receiving weapons for him on the outside (and out of the backfield in Tarik Cohen). Adding someone like Ebron or Henry makes sense to me if it makes sense to them financially.
This is more of a personal aside, but I'm very interested to see where
Logan Thomas ends up this offseason. Before he was a QB at Virginia Tech and then later a QB converted to TE in the NFL, he was a star QB at Brookville High School in Lynchburg, VA. That's my home town, and my mom used to work with his mom back in the day. In fact, I'm so old that my brother and I babysat for Logan a couple of times, and I've been following his career closely. I hope if Detroit doesn't re-sign him, he lands with another team where he has a chance to at least be the #2 tight end. In fact, I'd be ecstatic if he ended up in Washington. I might even get a new jersey if that happens!
Back to an actual offseason move by the Lions (other than letting Logan walk). While it's certainly early, most mock drafts have them taking CB Jeff Okudah out of Ohio State with the #3 overall pick. That would be a nice duo with him and Darius Slay, at least for the one year left on Slay's contract. That pick just makes too much sense. But if you look at the rest of the picks for the Lions, I wouldn't be surprised to see them
use a later pick on a QB. Jeff Driskel was serviceable this season once Stafford was out with the injury, but Driskel is a free agent. Stafford is signed through 2023, but if his injury is more serious/chronic, the Lions do have an out after next season. All of that to say I think they could use their
2nd round pick on Jordan Love, and if they're more confident in Stafford's health, it's likely later than that...maybe a
6th or 7th round shot on someone from the state of Michigan: Shea Patterson or Brian Lewerke.
Green Bay Packers bring back Cobb AND draft an impact WR
If it wasn't obvious through 17 games of the regular season, I think it has been painfully obvious in the postseason that the Packers need another reliable wide receiver other than Devante Adams. I could see the Packers bringing
Randall Cobb back to be that safety valve in the slot, but they
have to draft a WR in April as well. And if they don't bring in someone like Cobb, then
K.J. Hamler might be able to fill that void. Maybe the Packers fall in love with a different WR, and there are so many that I'm just throwing a dart here. But I think
they have to use one of their first three picks at the WR position.
Minnesota Vikings draft a QB who can develop behind Cousins
This is a team that is pretty well set at their skill positions, and they have basically no cap space for 2020. So I'm not going to project them to sign any high profile free agents. But Kirk Cousins is only signed through the 2020 season, so they need to be planning for life after him just in case they don't sign him to another contract. It makes a lot of sense for them to
spend a later round pick on someone like Tyler Huntley. He could backup and learn from Kirk for a year, and he just might be the starting QB for this team in 2021.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons re-sign Hooper, not Freeman
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The Falcons will have to get creative in order to
sign Austin Hooper to a long term deal. But I expect them to do that and keep him around for at least as long as they have Matt Ryan (currently signed through the 2023 season). The real question is whether or not they
move on from Devonta Freeman and his hefty contract. In fact, that might be where they make the room for a contract for Hooper, so I say it happens. Even if they somehow keep both guys, it's possible they draft another running back to complement Freeman. Ito Smith has been the best of the bunch to be that guy, but he was
placed on IR after a
concussion (which doesn't sound good at all). Brian Hill didn't look like that guy, and Qadree Ollison looked like nothing more than a goal line bowling ball. I say the Falcons try again in this draft to find that Tevin Coleman replacement, and it could be
Kylin Hill out of Mississippi State in the middle of the draft.
Carolina Panthers draft Jalen Hurts to be the next Cam Newton
I fully
expect Greg Olsen to retire this offseason, and I'm not sure Ian Thomas will just step right into 100 targets at the tight end position. I assume the Panthers will draft a tight end and maybe add a veteran too. The Niners probably won't re-sign both
Garrett Celek and
Levine Toilolo, so maybe it'll be one of those guys. The real question mark in Carolina is obviously the quarterback position. If he's healthy, Cam should be back. He still has one year left on his contract, and I don't see why the Panthers would just let him go elsewhere with the way Kyle Allen and Will Grier looked in his absence. Of course it's possible a team like the Redskins offers a first round pick for Cam because they make bad decisions and want to sell jerseys. But no matter what happens with Cam, I think the
Panthers would be wise to take a QB in this draft. I'd love to see them take
Jalen Hurts, who could spend a year as a backup and then takeover in 2021 when Cam goes somewhere else.
New Orleans Saints lose Bridgewater to free agency, add a WR in the draft
The biggest question for the Saints is
what to do with Drew Brees and Teddy Bridgewater this offseason? I think in a perfect world, Brees retires and they sign Teddy to a long term deal. In a complicated world, Brees plays a couple more years in New Orleans and then maybe they franchise Bridgewater or try to sign him to a long term deal? I don't know how that works out, so if Brees wants to play one or two more years, I think
Bridgewater is gone. This is another team that should probably take a WR in this year's draft, and I could see someone like
Brandon Aiyuk or Bryan Edwards fitting into their offense.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise Jameis & trade for David Johnson
As a Chris Godwin owner in a keeper league, I sure hope Jameis is back in Tampa, but it's not a sure thing. I think he'll be there one more year, but if they let him leave,
wouldn't it be ironic if Marcus Mariota ended up with the Bucs? That would be an interesting storyline since Jameis was the #1 pick and Mariota #2 in the 2015 draft. More likely is the Bucs sign someone like
Case Keenum to a 2-year deal, and Arians turns him into Carson Palmer Lite midway through the 2020 campaign and beyond. While Bruce stuck with Jameis through thick and thin in 2019, RoJo doesn't appear to be "his guy" at the running back position. That being said, I think the Bucs will swing a trade to get David Johnson and his hefty contract out of Arizona, and he could take over this backfield if he can get/stay healthy.
NFC West
Arizona Cardinals trade DJ, re-sign Kenyan Drake, draft Jonathan Taylor
I was a little surprised to see Larry Fitzgerald come back for another season, but I expect the Cardinals to draft another receiver regardless. I haven't mentioned
Antonio Gandy-Golden out of Liberty yet. I don't know if he's a good fit for this offense or not, but he'll certainly get drafted and could make an impact right away. The second (and more important guy for fantasy) is
Kenyan Drake who was beyond impressive upon arriving in Arizona. I don't see how the Cardinals don't at least try to re-sign him, and I think they'll make it happen and trade David Johnson to Tampa like i mentioned above. I'd also love to see them draft
Jonathan Taylor because he could be a good back for this high powered offense. Kenyan Drake could actually flourish in a complementary role, and the Cardinals could build an offense that rivals the running game to their division rival 49ers.
Los Angeles Rams find a replacement for Brandin Cooks toward the end of the draft
Like the Bucs, the Rams are fairly loaded at receiver but have a QB who likes to give the ball to the other team. Except Goff likes to do it by fumbling the ball from his tiny hands. Complicating matters is the poor offensive line play this season, and I think they'll lose Andrew Whitworth (who is likely to retire but who I said could return to Cincy earlier). If they want to compete in this tough division, they'd better solidify that O-line or else Nick Bosa and company will mop the floor with them. Back to the receivers though, I do think it's possible one more concussion for Brandin Cooks could be his last in the NFL. His concussion history is similar to that of a guy like Jordan Reed, so I could see the Rams adding someone like
K.J. Hill on Day 2 or even 3 of this year's draft.
San Francisco 49ers add another receiver in the draft
Deebo Samuel is looking like a great pick in last year's draft, and with Emmanuel Sanders likely not sticking around, maybe they go back to the WR well in this year's draft. I'll say they wait a while and get
Michael Pittman out of USC in the later rounds, and he could be a good possession style receiver to complement the big play ability of Deebo.
Seattle Seahawks sign Phillip Dorsett to improve their receiving corps
This team has some important decisions to make in regards to re-signing guys on the defensive side of the ball. They also have a lot of receivers who will not be under contract after the 2019 season. Lockett and Metcalf will be there, but who else? They'll probably
keep David Moore and/or Malik Turner around, but I think they'll also add another receiver. They always seem to
draft a receiver, and that seems to be the theme here in the NFC West. But I'll say they also sign former first rounder
Phillip Dorsett this offseason, which would make a solid trio of Lockett/Metcalf/Dorsett for Russell Wilson.
So how many of those predictions will be right? I'm sure a handful. I mean, some aren't even that bold. It'll be interesting to see as the offseason plays out. But first, we have a Super Bowl to play this Sunday! I'm pretty excited for that, and I'm all over the Chiefs to win it all. We'll have to wait and see what happens. I'll be posting my initial 2020 rankings in the next week or two, so keep on the lookout for those!
Cheers,
Bart
The NFL Draft couldn't have come at a better time for me, and I don't just mean having something sports-related as a distraction during the pandemic. No, I'm talking about the arrival of a baby boy into my family! My wife delivered our second child on Tuesday the week of the draft, and we went home on Thursday: Draft Day. My 3 year old daughter is on a nice routine, so we were getting her to bed right around the time the draft started. The newborn of course has zero sleep schedule yet, but he's sleeping more often than being awake. My wife needed her rest, so that meant I could stay up and watch the draft Thursday and Friday while the rest of my house slept! It really worked out quite nicely. :)
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