Mike Sando, ESPN Senior Writer 9y

Offseason grades for all 32 NFL teams

NFL, Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills

The best offseason work assures nothing in the NFL, as Tampa Bay and a few other teams proved again last offseason. But we can still evaluate the jobs teams have done in addressing their roster needs through free agency, trades and the draft, with an eye toward how moves affect outlooks in the short and long terms.

To that end, I've enlisted ESPN analysts Bill Polian, Louis Riddick, Matt Williamson and Field Yates, quoting each extensively in our 2015 NFL offseason grades. I also took into account Mel Kiper's draft grades for every team.

Here are offseason grades for all 32 NFL teams:


New York Jets: A

Re-signed: DE Leger Douzable, LB David Harris, LS Tanner Purdum, OL Ben Ijajana, OL Willie Colon, RB Bilal Powell

Veteran additions: CB Antonio Cromartie, CB Buster Skrine, CB Darrelle Revis, ILB Jamari Lattimore, OT James Brewer, OG James Carpenter, TE Kellen Davis, DT Kevin Vickerson, S Marcus Gilchrist, DE Stephen Bowen, RB Stevan Ridley, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, WR Brandon Marshall, LB Erin Henderson, LB Joe Mays, WR DeVier Posey, RB Zac Stacy

Veteran subtractions: S Dawan Landry, WR Greg Salas, DE Jermaine Cunningham, FB John Conner, DT Kenrick Ellis, CB Kyle Wilson, QB Michael Vick, ILB Nick Bellore, WR Percy Harvin, CB Phillip Adams, TE Chris Pantale, FB Mario Harvey

Draft picks: 1-Leonard Williams (DE), 2-Devin Smith (WR), 3-Lorenzo Mauldin (LB), 4-Bryce Petty (QB), 5-Jarvis Harrison (G), 7-Deon Simon (DT)

Analysis: The Jets commanded the only A grade overall and the only A-plus from an individual voter. Riddick liked their moves that much. He worked with Todd Bowles in Philadelphia and he believes in the Jets' new head coach, calling him a "dynamite" hire. Adding Revis in free agency, Marshall by trade and a luxury first-round choice in Williams separated the Jets.

"It is hard to find a fault with anything they did from coaching to free agency to the draft," Riddick said. "It is all about the QB. Can Chan Gailey get Geno Smith to not be the cause of losing games?"

Polian said the football gods smiled on the Jets when Revis became available and New York was able to sign him away from its top division rival.

"Defensively, there may not be many teams better," Polian said. "You just cannot waste a defense like that with a quarterback who turns it over. The question is, does Geno all of a sudden become a quarterback? Or does it have to be Fitzpatrick?"

Fitzpatrick headed my list of value signings in free agency based mostly on a statistical profile suggesting he has been better than his reputation suggests. Tennessee was certainly worse off without him, and it's fair to wonder if Houston upgraded by swapping out Fitzpatrick for Brian Hoyer. Fitzpatrick has generally been associated with horrible defenses (since 2010, only Tony Romo has gotten less defensive support among players with at least 40 starts).

"Fitzpatrick is not good, but he is a major upgrade," Williamson said.


Green Bay Packers: A-minus

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