Droppin’ Dimes: Grading NFL offseason decisions so far

With the NFL offseason in full swing, several teams have made major moves as they prepare for the 2025 season. Some of these changes have poised teams for greatness in the coming years, while others may not pan out as intended. Here are my grades for some of the biggest offseason moves so far.  

Chicago Bears – Joe Thuney: A  

Caleb Williams was the most sacked quarterback in the NFL in the 2024 season, being taken down behind the line 68 times. The blame shouldn’t all be placed on the offensive line, as they were blocking for 3.09 seconds per pass attempt, the fourth-longest in the league. Regardless, it was imperative for the Bears to pursue better protection for the quarterback they have entrusted the future of the franchise to. Trading for Joe Thuney was the big addition the team needed to protect Williams. Thuney is a two-time All-Pro offensive guard and a three-time Pro Bowl selection. Aside from addressing a serious issue in the roster, the Bears earned an A on this move for managing to land the four-time Superbowl champ for cheap, as Chicago only had to give up a fourth-round pick.  

Cleveland Browns – Myles Garrett: D

Myles Garrett has been the beloved star of the Cleveland Browns since being drafted in 2017. He has been named to four All-Pro teams and won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2023. Garrett requested a trade at the end of the year, but the Browns managed to extend his contract. So, why does retaining the team’s best player earn them a D?  In desperation to retain their premier pass rusher, the Browns emptied their wallets. At 160 million dollars over four years, Garett became the highest paid non quarterback in the history of the NFL. It took a massive overpay for Garrett to stay with the team and not go to a winning franchise. That contract, paired with Deshaun Watson’s pay, will make it very hard for the Browns to build up the rest of their roster and make a push into the playoffs. 

New York Jets – Justin Fields: B+ 

With the Aaron Rodgers experiment officially going down as a failure, it was time for the New York Jets to pivot from their current quarterback situation. Unfortunately for the Jets, they will be picking from seven, which will most likely knock them out of contention for one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s draft. Of the free agents on the table, Justin Fields offers an exciting blend of talent, while also being young enough to potentially take the reins of the team in the long run.  On top of that, Fields’ top target in New York will be his former wide receiver in college, Garret Wilson. The 26-year-old quarterback will also benefit from a more stable environment this year, compared to last season when it was uncertain what would happen when Russell Wilson returned from injury and the season before that when it was debated whether the Bears should move on from him. It’s time for Fields to finally get a fair chance. 

Pittsburgh Steelers – DK Metcalf: C 

There is not a team with a more physically gifted wide receiver duo in the NFL right now than the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers went out and made a trade for DK Metcalf in exchange for a second-round pick, pairing him with George Pickens. The contract extension is what holds this move back at a C. Following the trade, the Steelers extended Metcalf to 132 million over the next four seasons. That will make him the fourth-highest paid wide receiver in the NFL. This is a gross overpay, as you would be hard pressed to find someone who has Metcalf in their top ten wide receivers, let alone top four. There is also the quarterback dilemma, who are the Steelers going to find to throw the two of them the ball? Most of the top free agent options have already been snatched. Metcalf definitely brings versatility to the Steelers offense, but between the contract and the Steelers current situation, it’s hard to bring the grade up much higher than a C.