Top 5 offseason acquisitions
Certainly this offseason saw no shortage of roster moves. We saw stars leave teams they had spent their entire careers with and head towards new beginnings. We saw the Carolina Panthers release Jake Delhomme, who headed to Cleveland and Ladanian Tomlinson was let go by the San Diego Chargers before joining the Jets. Jason Campbell was traded to Oakland after spending the early stages of his career in Washington. While these moves may make an impact, there were some moves that just stood out among the rest. There were some trades/free agent signings that give teams a spark and fill a major need at their respected positions.
The love/hate relationship between the city of Philadelphia and Donovan McNabb came to an end. After years of Eagles fans calling for the Eagles to get rid of him, the organization did just that, trading him to their divisional rivals, the Washington Redskins.
The Eagles felt it was time to move on to Kevin Kolb to lead the franchise. He’ll have big shoes to fill as McNabb led the Eagles to eight playoff berths, five NFC Championship games and the lone Super Bowl appearance. McNabb’s playoff record was a respectable 9-7 but fell short of the ultimate goal.
The Washington Redskins happily traded for the 33-year-old quarterback that has wreaked havoc on them throughout his career. Jason Campbell simply did not fill their need for a franchise quarterback and McNabb can fill that role. While McNabb won’t be surrounded by the great receiving corps that he had in Philly, he is an instant upgrade for the Redskins and should improve the team.
The Miami Dolphins acquired the playmaker they have been lacking for years when they traded for Brandon Marshall. Marshall has a history of attitude problems but he insists that he’s ready for a fresh start in south Florida. Marshall is coming off three straight seasons in which he accumulated at least 100 receptions and is one of the league’s best receivers. He’s an instant upgrade for the Fins and should dramatically improve their passing game.
It was hard to imagine that Marshall was even available to acquire but due to his sour relationship with Coach Josh McDaniels in Denver, the Broncos traded him for two second-round draft picks. The Dolphins then signed him to a four-year $47.5 million extension making him the league’s highest paid wide receiver. His presence in Miami is sure to make a huge impact for the offence.
The Dolphins didn’t just settle for acquiring an offensive star as they signed one of the best linebackers in the game in Karlos Dansby. Dansby instantly upgrades a defence that struggled last year. He can defend both the run and the pass and is a tackling machine.
Dansby also brings invaluable experience to the table. He has won two divisional titles with the Arizona Cardinals and has been to the Super Bowl. He is already emerging as one of the leaders of this team and should help the defence improve tremendously.
The Baltimore Ravens finally addressed their long-time need of a no.1 receiver when they traded for Anquan Boldin. Boldin may have been a no.2 in Arizona but that was because he was alongside Larry Fitzgerald. He’s the unquestioned number one man in Baltimore and provides Joe Flacco with a constant threat.
Boldin even suits the style of the Ravens perfectly. He is a tough receiver and collects many yards after making the catch. In seven seasons, Boldin has 586 career receptions, 7520 yards and 44 touchdowns. There is no doubt that Boldin will provide positive results with the Ravens and is a reason why many see the Ravens as Super Bowl contenders this year.
The Chicago Bears made splash on the first day of free agency signing Julius Peppers to a six-year deal worth $91.5 million. The Bears are looking to restore their once dominant defence and Peppers should be a huge help.
Peppers is an outstanding athlete and one of the league’s premier pass-rushers. He is inconsistent at times, but his presence distracts offensive linemen and it makes the defence’s job easier. In the past two years, Peppers had 25 sacks along with 93 tackles, 10 forced fumbles and 10 passes defended. The Bears will hope that Peppers will trigger a return to the postseason for the Monsters of the Midway.
These are the major offseason acquisitions that should make the biggest impact. While there are many more, these big five fill major needs for the teams that invested so much in them.
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