The NFL offseason is largely behind us now that the NFL Draft has concluded. Free agency is essentially over, and while there will be a few more moves here and there, the bulk of the big ones are probably over until training camp. That means we can start to look back at what has happened in the offseason and which teams have done well in improving.
Here are the five best moves of the 2020 NFL offseason.
5. 49ers trade for Trent Williams
Freed from football purgatory in Washington, Williams can get back to being one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen. Acquired by the 49ers for a pair of draft picks, Williams should make Jimmy Garoppolo very happy. Williams turns 32 in July, so he’s still young enough to be an impact offensive lineman. If he’s anything close to what he was at his peak, this trade will be a complete steal for San Francisco.
4. Redskins draft Chase Young
This was not a difficult choice for Washington, but that doesn’t make it any less great. Young has the potential to become an elite NFL pass rusher very quickly. He’s a player with the potential skill to blow up opposing gameplans, and it’s fair to expect him to rack up double-digit sack numbers annually very quickly. Any time you can get a potential game changer in the draft, you are doing very well.
3. Bills trade for Stefon Diggs
Sometimes a player and a team just look like a perfect fit on paper, and that is the case for Diggs and the Bills. Buffalo swung a trade for the standout receiver, who will play a huge part in stretching the team’s offense. Diggs’ speed should enable Josh Allen to unleash his deep ball skills, which has us thinking these two could hook up on a bunch of chunk plays. The Bills feel like they can make a run at the AFC East this year, and if they do, the Diggs-Allen connection will likely be a big reason why.
2. Cardinals trade for DeAndre Hopkins
This move ranks highly not just because of what the Cardinals got, but how little they paid for it. Hopkins is one of the league’s best wide receivers, and the Cardinals landed him for two draft picks and David Johnson’s bloated contract. Hopkins gives Kyler Murray a huge weapon in what suddenly looks like a pretty good offense. Between landing a top player and not giving up anything particularly painful to do it, this is a clear win for Arizona.
1. Buccaneers sign Tom Brady
The biggest franchise-changing move of the offseason tops the list. Brady gives the Buccaneers instant credibility and makes them an immediate playoff contender. He’s also surrounded by weapons — the Patriots didn’t have anything like Mike Evans or Chris Godwin. Plus, Brady’s presence led to another very big move. That all makes the Buccaneers a dangerous team, and it all started with luring Brady.
