2017 NFL OFFSEASON: WINNERS AND LOSERS

BY: Peter DiPaola

WINNERS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

New England was able to retain linebacker Dont'a Hightower, signed cornerback Stephon Gilmore, trade for Brandon Cooks along with plenty of other moves to add talent.  This just over a month after the biggest comeback in Super Bowl History, New England still has to figure the Malcolm Butler situation out but they are winning this offseason. 

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS  

Calais Campbell, A.J. Bouye and Barry Church have been signed by the Jaguars and will be welcomed additions to the Jacksonville defense.  Jacksonville also traded for offensive tackle Branden Albert to help fortify the offensive line which should hopefully open up the run game and give Blake Bortles more protection.  Jacksonville is having another busy offseason before the draft starts, and if their division is wide open again in 2017 they may have a chance to win it.

NEW YORK GIANTS 

Brandon Marshall will join a talented Giants receiving corp, they also added help along the offensive line by signing tackle D.J. Fluker, tight end Rhett Ellison has also been signed.  The Giants are working on their offense, as for the defensive side of the football Jason Pierre-Paul signed a 4 year contract with the Giants after being franchised for the second straight year. (UPDATE)

HOUSTON TEXANS AND CLEVELAND BROWNS 


I put both of these teams here because they both won in the Brock Osweiler trade, Houston is a winner because they no longer have to carry Brock on their roster and can move on in a different direction.  Cleveland won because they acquired a 2nd round pick in the 2018 draft from the Texans along with Brock, they are looking to shop him for a mid-round pick.  Cleveland continues to stockpile picks and could obtain one more with a trade partner for Brock Osweiler. 

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Carson Wentz is entering his second year in the league, the young quarterback will have more help at the receiver position this year with Alshon Jeffrey and Torrey Smith coming to the Eagles via free agency.  Those signings help the Eagles offensively and will benefit Wentz by giving him more options in the passing attack, Philadelphia ranked 24th in pass yards per game last season, with the talent they have now they should see a rise in that category in 2017.
 

LOSERS 

KIRK COUSINS

Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson have both left Washington meaning that Cousins will be without two of his biggest weapons in 2017.  Washington did manage to sign Terrelle Pryor, but he has just one full season under his belt at wide receiver and this is a new system for him to learn.  Cousins will have to work with a thinner receiving corp. in 2017 to prove himself worthy of a long term deal since he has been franchised for the second straight season. 

DALLAS COWBOYS 

Dallas have lost both Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne, their cornerbacks which hurts because Dallas was ranked 25h in passing yards allowed in 2016.  If they had lost one they might not be on this list, but losing both Carr and Claiborne could mean Dallas gives up more passing yards in 2017.  Not only did they lose their corners but also lost safety Barry Church, Dallas has some work to do this offseason to help acquire talent to bolster their secondary.  

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 

You can also include Andrew Luck here, the Colts offensive line issues continued last season and they have only signed one offensive lineman, center Brian Schwenke.  The Colts have focused on the defensive side of the football, it is not bad to bulk up a defense, but Andrew Luck could face another long season unless the Colts help him with more talent on the offensive line.  They paid him like an elite quarterback, it is time for them to give him the protection an elite quarterback needs.  

TONY ROMO

Simply because Tony is still a Cowboy, he was supposed to be cut, then the Cowboys decided to keep Romo in hopes of finding a trade partner.  

LOS ANGELES RAMS

L.A. went 4-12 and struggled on offense in 2016 and have not done much to fix that issue.  They lost Kenny Britt in free agency to the Browns, Britt was the Rams leading receiver in 2016 and the only Ram to have over 1,000 yards receiving.  The Rams do not pick until the 2nd round in the upcoming draft because of their blockbuster trade to move up to the top spot in last years draft to pick Jared Goff. 

STATS AND TRANSACTION INFORMATION FROM WWW.NFL.COM
 

2017 NFL MOCK DRAFT

AUTHOR: RYAN MORELAND

1	Cleveland Browns	Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
2	San Francisco 49ers	Mitchell Trubisky, QB, North Carolina
3	Chicago Bears	Johnathon Allen, DE, Alabama
4	Jacksonville Jaguars	Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
5	Tennessee Titans	Jamal Adams, S, LSU
6	New York Jets	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
7	Los Angeles Rams	Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
8	Carolina Panthers	Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
9	Cincinnati Bengals	Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
10	Buffalo Bills	Marcus Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
11	New Orleans Saints	Sydney Jones, CB, Washington
12	Cleveland Browns	DeShone Kiser, QB, Notre Dame
13	Arizona Cardinals	Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
14	Philadelphia Eagles	Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
15	Indianapolis Colts	Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
16	Baltimore Ravens	Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
17	Washington Redskins	John Ross, WR, Washington
18	Tennessee Titans	O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Jabrill Peppers, S/LB, Michigan
20	Denver Broncos	Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
21	Detroit Lions	Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
22	Miami Dolphins	Haasan Reddick, LB/DE, Temple
23	New York Giants	Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma
24	Oakland Raiders	Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
25	Houston Texans	Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
26	Seattle Seahawks	Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
27	Kansas City Chiefs	T.J. Watt, LB, Wisconsin
28	Dallas Cowboys	Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
29	Green Bay Packers	Takkarist McKinley, DE, UCLA
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
31	Atlanta Falcons	Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
32	New England Patriots	Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford

HOW WASHINGTON COULD DIG ITS WAY OUT

Author: Nicholas Petersen

Things are starting to get interesting in the lead up to the new league year. Washington seems to be going back to its (horrible) off-season antics of making truly bone-headed roster moves, as it is being reported that the Redskins may ship Quarterback Kirk Cousins off to San Francisco in exchange for what is expected to be a bouquet of draft picks. And not the cheap bouquet that you get in the supermarket when you’ve forgotten your anniversary. I’m talking the three-figure FTD deals with stuffed animals and heirloom quality vases.

If this verifies, Redskins fans are likely to roll their eyes once again while 49ers fans celebrate the return of relevance following the implosion formerly known as Colin Kaepernick. The Redskins are in the position of strength, having the commodity that the Niners so desperately desire. But San Fran has both deep pockets and a strong showing in the draft this year. Giving Washington the second overall pick and their third rounder - maybe a second rounder next year as well? - isn’t outside the realm of possibility, and would allow San Francisco to shore up their single biggest weakness with the click of a send button - a steal, considering that they’d get Washington’s franchise QB. Not only that, it would give them ample negotiating room and the lure of an established leader to make up the difference in free agency. Expect San Francisco to make every effort for this to happen - and to pay dearly.

As riveting as this all might be for arm chair Bill Belichick's, where it really gets interesting is the next step for Washington - who will become the new face of the franchise? Do they really think that Colt McCoy is the long-term answer - even the short-term answer? If so, they are fooling themselves. On the wrong side of 30, McCoy has fewer upsides than they would like. And there’s no dynamo QB in the draft this year, so maybe Washington would be open to another trade?

Enter Jimmy Garoppolo, erstwhile QB and heir apparent to the immortal (literally, it seems) Tom Brady of New England. All signs point to the Chiseled Chin heading to Cleveland, but Washington may make a play for his services. The asking price is supposedly multiple first round picks, and Washington has shown its willingness to pay that steep a price before. They may be willing to trade away whatever they get from San Fransisco in the process, or maybe even Josh Norman. There are reasons aplenty to make this an intriguing, if unlikely, possibility.

Then again, who would have thought that Washington would be willing to even consider trading away the man who saved them from the hole it dug for itself with RGIII.