There’s a lot going on right now in the world of sports that it’s easy to overlook the busy NFL offseason. There’s the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup heating up north of the border. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers are making the NBA Finals very interesting. The Stanley Cup finals are also on-going with two exciting, talented teams vying for Lord Stanley’s Cup. The regular season of Major League Baseball is also in full swing.
With that said, we’ve listed down five NFL offseason stories that will surely grab your attention. Read on for the five biggest NFL offseason stories buried behind all the current sports action.
If you’re interested in all the action going around, check out our complete previews for the NBA Finals’ Warriors vs. Cavaliers Game 4 and the Stanley Cup Finals’ Blackhawks vs. Lightning Game 5.
[sc:Football ]Five NFL Offseason Stories You Probably Haven’t Heard About
Early Retirements
There were some surprising retirements this offseason. Titans quarterback Jake Locker and Steelers linebacker Jason Worilds are two of the ones to walk away from the sport. But no team was hit harder than the San Francisco 49ers. It all started when Chris Borland announced his retirement after an excellent rookie season with 108 tackles, a sack and two interceptions.
[sc:NFL240banner ]It wasn’t all just Borland who walked away from a life of pro football. Niners linebacker Patrick Willis, defensive end Justin Smith and offensive lineman Anthony Davis all retired.
Another one of San Francisco’s talented young defenders may follow suit in safety Eric Reid. Reid cited that he suffered three concussions in his first two NFL seasons, and that he may choose to walk away if he suffers another one
The retirements came in a particularly tough time for San Francisco. The Niners failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011 last season. They also bid farewell to Jim Harbaugh, who coached the team to two NFC West division titles (2011, 2012) and an NFC Championship crown in 2012. He’ll be replaced by Jim Tomsula, who’ll be left with a lot of key pieces missing on both offense and defense.
The Ravens Traded Haloti Ngata
Haloti Ngata was coming off an excellent 2014. He had 31 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions in the regular season. He then had three tackles and a sack in Baltimore’s two playoff games this past postseason. Ngata was due for big money in 2015, but Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome seemed determined to beat the clock.
Newsome got rid of Ngata before his contract year by trading him to the Detroit Lions, perhaps believing that the defensive lineman is nearing the end of his prime. But Newsome at least has a couple of excellent young linemen in Brandon Williams and Timmy Jernigan ready to step up.
The Colts Got Older
The Indianapolis Colts spent big bucks this offseason to address two of their needs: running back and wide receiver. It remains to be seen if they managed to snag the talent they’re looking for after signing aging veterans Frank Gore and Andre Johnson.
Gore was excellent in his final season with the 49ers, rushing for over 1,100 yards for the fourth straight year. But touchdowns were hard to come by, as he scored just four times last season (the fewest TDs he’s had in the past three years). Running backs are one of the most likely players to get banged up on the field. Gore may not be as durable as he once was now that he’s 32 years of age.
Johnson, who’s turning 34 this year, is still one of the league’s best deep threats at wide receiver. He’s averaging 13.4 yards per catch in his career, but his 2014 performance took a considerable step back. His 936 receiving yards were the least he’s had when playing more than 10 games in the past nine years.
Do these veterans boost Indianapolis’ chances of making Super Bowl 50? The Colts are +270 to win the AFC Championship.
Rookie Guard La’el Collins Went Undrafted
Top offensive tackle prospect La’el Collins was expected to be at least a top 20 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, but being wanted for questioning in a police investigation regarding the murder of his pregnant ex-girlfriend left him undrafted and eventually off the radar. All 32 teams didn’t want the headlines and drama that would have followed had Collins been named a suspect.
Fast forward to today, Collins hasn’t been implicated or named a suspect in the case. He reportedly passed a polygraph test in connection with the case. A paternity test also indicated that the LSU standout wasn’t the father of the child his ex-girlfriend was carrying. Collins has now also signed with the Dallas Cowboys on a three-year $1.7 million guaranteed contract.
Dallas’ already talented offensive line just got that much deeper considering they gave Collins the chance the other 31 teams did not.
Eagles Made So Many Moves
The Eagles had so much movement in their roster this offseason, that is was difficult to keep track of the whirlwind of activity. First, the Eagles signed Tim Tebow, who was seen as a bust with his 47.9 completion percentage in his career, to start off the buzz. Then they traded their star running back LeSean McCoy for Kiko Alonso.
And it doesn’t end there. The Eagles shipped away starter Nick Foles for Sam Bradford (and his surgically repaired knees). Byron Maxwell received a massive six-year, $63 million contract. While Maxwell is a solid corner, his body of work (six interceptions in the past two seasons) may not merit that big of a contract.
Lastly, signing DeMarco Murray to a $42 million contract over five years seems like a bold move with his injury issues and last year’s workload. But his talent is surely welcome granted he plays up to par with his 1,845-yard and 13-touchdown 2014 season. Oh, and they also signed a competent backup for Murray in former San Diego starter Ryan Mathews just in case Murray looks like a shell of his former self this coming season.
All this movement can either make or break the Eagles’ season. It’ll surely be entertaining to watch everything unfold for Philadelphia. The Eagles are +2,500 to win Super Bowl 50.
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