NFL free agency officially kicked off Wednesday when the new league year opened with a flurry of signings, releases, and trades as a number of big names relocated to new cities.
During the hyperactivity, six teams stood out from the pack. Which team improved the most via free agency? Here are the candidates:
Cleveland Browns
Additions: WR Jarvis Landry, QB Tyrod Taylor, RB Carlos Hyde, CB Damarious Randall, CB T.J. Carrie, TE Darren Fells, CB Terrance Mitchell, OL Chris Hubbard
Losses: LT Joe Thomas, DT Danny Shelton, QB DeShone Kizer, RB Isaiah Crowell
New general manager John Dorsey was perhaps the busiest man this month. Aside from consummating four trades, he also agreed to deals with four free agents, completely overhauling the winless team he inherited.
Dorsey brought aboard star talent in Landry and Hyde, and added some much-needed playoff experience by trading for Taylor and Randall.
Change is necessary for a team that's won one game in the past two seasons, but do these moves amount to change for the sake of change or do they truly improve the future prospects for the club?
With the new blood, the Browns promise to be more competitive in 2018. However, the loss of all-world left tackle Thomas to retirement leaves a major crater on the offensive line, which will be difficult to fill.
Chicago Bears
Additions: WR Allen Robinson, TE Trey Burton, WR Taylor Gabriel, K Cody Parkey, QB Chase Daniel, OL Bradley Sowell
Losses: LB Jerrell Freeman, G Josh Sitton, CB Marcus Cooper, DE Mitch Unrein, DE Willie Young, LB Pernell McPhee, S Quintin Demps, WR Markus Wheaton, QB Mike Glennon
The Bears are much further along in their rebuild than the Browns.
Last year's team was lacking in offensive weapons, but Chicago at least has a franchise quarterback in Mitch Trubisky. The Bears identified that the youngster will need more talent around him and landed the top receiver on the market in Robinson. That move was supplemented with the additions of Gabriel and Burton.
While the offense is immediately improved, the 10th-ranked defense of a year ago suffered significant losses. Gone are veterans Freeman, Young, McPhee, and Unrein.
The Bears can only hope the departures on their front seven won't affect an intact secondary that finished seventh in the league last year.
Kansas City Chiefs
Additions: WR Sammy Watkins, CB Kendall Fuller, LB Anthony Hitchens, CB David Amerson
Losses: CB Marcus Peters, QB Alex Smith, LB Tamba Hali, LB Derrick Johnson, S Ron Parker, WR Albert Wilson, CB Darrelle Revis
Despite making the playoffs in 2017, the Chiefs felt it necessary to reconstruct their roster.
Now, the team's average age is 25.3 years old and not one player is over 30. The Chiefs have gotten younger, but are they better?
Hali, Johnson, and Smith may have years of playoff experience, but together, they failed to get Kansas City past the divisional round of the playoffs.
The club will now be led by sophomore quarterback Patrick Mahomes and playmakers Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill, Watkins, and Travis Kelce. Plus, with Fuller and a healthy Eric Berry on the defensive side of the ball, the ceiling is higher for this iteration of the Chiefs.
San Francisco 49ers
Additions: CB Richard Sherman, RB Jerick McKinnon, G Weston Richburg
Losses: RB Carlos Hyde, G Brandon Fusco, LB Elvis Dumervil
The 49ers made headlines over the past four days by signing former enemy Sherman and lavishing backup runner McKinnon with a contract that makes him the fourth-highest paid player at his position on annual average.
Swapping McKinnon for Hyde in the starting lineup is a questionable move. McKinnon was provided opportunities in the past to win starting jobs outright and failed to do so. He can only hope the direction of Kyle Shanahan will lead to the type of production that will justify the move.
The Niners also swapped Richburg in for Fusco at guard, but, to this point, they've failed to address their most glaring hole at wide receiver.
Tennessee Titans
Additions: CB Malcolm Butler, RB Dion Lewis
Losses: RB DeMarco Murray, LB Avery Williamson, WR Eric Decker, S Da'Norris Searcy, QB Matt Cassel, WR Eric Weems
The Titans opened the offseason by bringing in a new coaching staff led by Patriots great Mike Vrabel and, in free agency, he made a point to pick from his former club.
Welcome to Tennessee, Butler and Lewis. Or shall we call it Patriots Southeast?
The Titans addressed their biggest area of need by adding Butler. Their pass defense ranked 25th in 2017. Now Butler will again work in tandem with fellow former Patriot Logan Ryan.
The team also finally cut ties with Murray and turned the backfield over to Derrick Henry and Lewis. These are considerable moves for a team looking to take over a much more competitive AFC South.
Philadelphia Eagles
Additions: DE Michael Bennett, CB Daryl Worley
Losses: TE Trey Burton, CB Patrick Robinson, WR Torrey Smith, DT Beau Allen, TE Brent Celek, WR Marcus Johnson, P Donnie Jones
The Eagles made their additions via trade, acquiring Bennett and Worley, but they're also reportedly in the midst of landing Haloti Ngata in free agency.
For the defending Super Bowl champions, the losses are significant. Gone are tight end Burton, nickel corner Robinson, and deep-ball threat Smith. But with the addition of Bennett and likely Ngata to an already fearsome defensive line, the Eagles have made improvements to what was already the strength of the team.
The NFL's best team is even better.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
