Early days of Free Agency


Free agency has been going strong for a week. Of course the NFL would tell you it began Tuesday, but a legal tampering period — during which a number of big contracts were negotiated — began last Saturday. And what a week it's been. Below I'm going to look at some winners, losers, and question marks.

Winners:
* The Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks were one bad play call away from being back-to-back Super Bowl champions. And you know what, it's not hard to see it happening again. The Seahawks retained star running back Marshawn Lynch, a key cog in their attack, then busted the off season wide open by trading for Jimmy Graham, the second best tight end in the league. That gives the Seahawks a legitimate threat in the receiving game, which is only going to make Russell Wilson bloom a little brighter.

* The Indianapolis Colts. The Colts jumped off the free agency period with a bang, signing running back Frank Gore, wide receiver Andre Johnson, and a host of defensive players. The Colts have improved every year under Andrew Luck, creeping a bit further. Last year they made it to the AFC title game, and these moves appear to make them even stronger. The Colts are a team on the move.

Losers:
* The New Orleans Saints. It's hard to tell what, exactly, the Saints are going, but it doesn't seem great. They gave away Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills, who important cogs in the passing game. The Saints did improve their defense, probably, with some signings, and they have the tools in place to have a strong running game. But will that be enough? It doesn't seem likely.

* The San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers are a team in transition. Sure, the Torrey Smith signing could be a boost, but a lot of long-time 49ers have slid out the door. The defense won't be the same, and it remains to be seen if Colin Kaepernick can regain something approaching a good professional form.

Incomplete:
* The AFC East. The Patriots have been quiet, as usual, and have seen some great players leave. That seems bad, but it never is for the Patriots. Meanwhile the Dolphins, Bills, and Jets have all made big splashes in free agency. But is it enough? It's hard to tell at this point. Every year we think someone will challenge the Patriots, and it hasn't happened yet. Maybe this will be the year. Maybe not.

* The Philadelphia Eagles. What are the Eagles doing? Will it work? It remains unclear. Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy, and Jeremy Maclin are gone. Sam Bradford, DeMarco Murray, and Ryan Matthews are in. The defense got better, too. Maybe it will be a step up for Chip Kelly. Maybe it will be a disaster. Only time will tell.

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