When the last shred of confetti fell after the Super Bowl and the Pittsburgh Steelers walked off with their sixth Lombardi trophy, the majority of the action was done. The NFL season was over and fans across the country fell into depression as the six month wait for preseason play began.
It’s a rough period of time for any fan. But, with the end of the regular season comes the arrival of the offseason. Granted, the offseason is nowhere near as exciting but the offseason is the time when all of the teams work on refining and tuning up their roster.
It all begins with free agency, when teams have the option to release and pick up players. Then, it moves onto the NFL drafts, where the college graduates have the opportunity to get drafted and make it big in the NFL.
The free agency gives teams the chance to fix any problems in the locker room or make up for inadequate depth in the roster. In some cases, that’s certainly happened so far this year.
For example, the Dallas Cowboys chose to release WR Terrell Owens, who was later picked up by the Buffalo Bills. Recognized most for his antics both on and off the field, Owens is also known for his productivity. With 951 receptions totaling 14,122 yards over his 14 year career, Owens has proved that he can make an impact on any team he puts the helmet on for.
A team without a strong and consistent quarterback is almost destined for defeat, but if that deficiency can be corrected, it could really turn the tide. Hoping to do just that are the Kansas City Chiefs, who recently picked up former Patriot QB Matt Cassel, who did a great job filling in for Tom Brady after his injury. The Chiefs already had QB Tyler Thigpen, who did well at times, but it seems like Kansas City needs a dependable back and Cassel proved that last season, throwing for 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns.
In other cases, some teams end up releasing a bunch of players in hopes of good drafting. This year, that team is the Philadelphia Eagles. A lot of players have left, including offensive linemen Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas, safety Brian Dawkins, RB Correll Buckhalter and TE L.J. Smith. Now, this is leaving a lot of holes in this roster, so hopefully head coach Andy Reid has something up his sleeve to fix things.
Bear in mind that this is merely the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to player movements thus far. RB LaDainian Tomlinson decided to stay in San Diego despite trade rumors and the top two defensive linemen, Albert Haynesworth and Igor Olshansky, went to Washington and Dallas, respectively. In addition, wide receivers Marvin Harrison, Colts, and Torry Holt, Rams, were released, so it’s interesting to see where these aging stars can make an impact.
In the end, the offseason is not much compared to the regular season, but the moves that are made can wind up having the biggest of impacts.
All statistics taken are courtesy of ESPN.com
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