The primary week of free company is within the rearview mirror and there are a selection of big-time adjustments which have occurred throughout the league.
We’re nonetheless ready on a handful of issues to shake out earlier than the waters will absolutely calm, however they principally should do with some older quarterbacks who’re extra about headlines than outcomes today. Extra on that in a bit.
As free company warped a number of NFL rosters that signifies that our ideas and opinions on them have modified. We right here at The Skinny Publish, Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, are right here to let what we predict.
Let’s focus on.
Aaron Rodgers to the Vikings could be the worst reboot ever
RJ:
Final week we mentioned how the Aaron Rodgers of every thing feels so boring proper now. Within the time since then it seems like, judging by the web, the thought of him becoming a member of the Minnesota Vikings has picked up steam.
Personally talking, I hate reboots. Don’t damage one thing that after was. I’m not saying that I cherished the time when Brett Favre was the quarterback for Minnesota, however this could be such a boring approach for Rodgers’ profession to finish. Clearly Rodgers has modified the best way that folks really feel about him over the previous couple of years, however we will all admit that he’s nonetheless one of many best to ever play the sport. For him to exit within the actual similar trend as his predecessor could be so flat and boring.
Michael:
I actually, actually thought we’d go not less than one week with out speaking about Aaron Rodgers, however right here we’re. He positive does have a approach of staying on the forefront of the soccer information cycle, regardless of the place we’re on the calendar.
So right here’ the factor: I feel the Vikings are one of the best case situation for Rodgers if he needs to chase the final little bit of success in his profession. Nonetheless, I really assume signing him could be near the worst-case situation for Minnesota. Kevin O’Connell has constructed among the finest locker rooms within the NFL and the very last thing I might see him do is usher in a man who has lengthy been a man to be at odds with teammates who aren’t taking part in as much as “his normal.”
I simply assume signing Rodgers could be akin to tossing a brick right into a drying machine. It’s going to be loud and it’s going to get busted up from the within till it now not runs easily.
Cincinnati broke the financial institution for his or her large receivers
Michael:
I knew the Bengals had been going to get offers finished for each Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, however I didn’t count on the latter to additionally signal for over $100 million, as properly.
Chase’s $161.1 million over 4 years is insane however runs proper together with what he’s finished for that offense. Higgins $115 million over the identical span is probably the most for a workforce’s WR2 in NFL historical past. That’s what I can’t wrap my head round. He’s a very good receiver! He’s additionally missed 10 video games over the previous two seasons! That’s some huge cash for a participant that has by no means stayed wholesome for a complete season outdoors of his rookie yr in 2020.
The Bengals handing out this cash is them pushing all of the chips in on the offense being the very same because it was in 2024. Bringing them each again is an efficient begin, however historical past kind of says it was an outlier and so they’re greater than seemingly going to revert again in the direction of the imply than proceed on this upwards trajectory.
I could possibly be so extremely mistaken! I get that! However think about if both will get damage or they merely don’t play all that properly comparatively. Is the protection going to be any extra aggressive in 2025? It was form of the one large factor that saved them out of the playoffs!
However hey, huck it, chuck it soccer. Amirite?
RJ:
Forgive me for making this about one thing apart from Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins right here, however I have no idea that we now have seen a single participant change a franchise the best way that Joe Burrow has with the Bengals.
Clearly the largest signal of that is how aggressive the Bengals have been, however think about that we’re speaking about one of many extra frugal franchises within the league and the way they’re dispensing money left and proper (seemingly). A giant purpose for that is/was clearly that Burrow requested them to maintain his weapons in tow in Chase and Higgins.
I’m not saying that the Bengals are immediately fully completely different, however there isn’t a query that their eyes have been opened and that they’re keen to do what they should on this window. That could be very cool.
What a house run of a decide Burrow continues to be, particularly for Bengals followers.
Who’s your largest winner/loser from the primary week of free company?
Michael:
My largest winner is break up between a pair of NFC North groups within the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings.
New Bears head coach Ben Johnson had a very good plan in his first offseason and he caught to it by signing a model new trio of gamers to reshape the inside of the offensive line. Drew Dalman was one of the best middle out there. They then commerce for Rams proper guard Jonah Jackson and Chiefs All-Professional left guard Joe Thuney So yeah, life is nice for Caleb Williams! He wanted safety and Johnson delivered.
For the Vikings, my reasoning is straightforward. They wanted to get higher alongside the inside on either side of the ball. They did simply that by signing defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave for Brian Flores whereas including middle Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries for Kevin O’Connell.
Bam. These are way more beefy and intimidating trenches for the Vikes.
As for a loser, I feel the Raiders are a fringe workforce in that regard for me. The transfer to commerce for quarterback Geno Smith clearly raises their ground a very good quantity, however they made no signings to assist construct the unit round him. The Seahawks had a very good group of weapons for him to depend on. The Raiders basically have simply Brock Bowers at tight finish. They want a brand new WR1 (as a result of Jakobi Meyers shouldn’t be that) and that might maintain them from having a WR3 named Ramel Keyton (is that even an actual particular person?). Defensively, it’s additionally simply Maxx Crosby with no different actual standout identify.
This workforce simply wants…extra. All over the place.
RJ:
For me the largest winner is the Los Angeles Rams. This time a couple of weeks in the past we thought that Matthew Stafford was gone and not solely is he not… however Davante Adams is reverse of Puka Nacua. They seem primed to run unchallenged via the NFC West.
From a dropping standpoint, I feel I’ve to remain within the division and go along with the San Francisco 49ers. They’ve gotten picked aside and finished nothing to essentially assist their roster from an total perspective. I do not know why anybody can consider they are going to be superb by simply working this all again subsequent season.
What workforce have you ever modified your thoughts on probably the most to this point?
RJ:
My reply is a bit unusual right here, however I’m going with the Seattle Seahawks.
The explanation that is unusual is as a result of I haven’t modified my thoughts in any respect. I got here into this offseason feeling like they had been in a extremely attention-grabbing spot to both decide to Geno Smith or to a full rebuild. By transferring on from Geno they appeared headed in a single course, however then in signing Sam Darnold they gave the impression to be content material with simply treading water.
I do not know what the Seahawks are doing. It’s bizarre. I don’t prefer it. Repair it. Somebody. Anybody.
Michael:
I’m going to stay within the NFC West and go along with the Rams right here for basically the identical causes you touched on within the earlier immediate.
I believed their late-season success was somewhat fluky resulting from how pedestrian Matthew Stafford’s passing numbers had been for many of the yr and previous to their strikes made in free company I’d have anticipated them to truly fall in need of the postseason in 2025.
That’s now modified due to some actually savvy signings that don’t really fill their roster holes, however additional emphasize their strengths. The primary was the transfer to signal Davante Adams to interchange Cooper Kupp. Packers coach Matt LaFleur is from the Sean McVay teaching tree so if there’s another coach who is aware of use him one of the best, it’s the latter. I’m really anticipating a reasonably large yr from Adams.
Secondly, the Rams stole defensive sort out Poona Ford from my Chargers and I’m upset about it. The Rams have already got an awesome basis to their defensive entrance with 2024 rookies edge rusher Jared Verse and defensive sort out Braden Fiske. They did NOT have so as to add Ford following his breakout season, however they did, and now they’re going to be much more of a ache within the rear to dam.
In a bizarre approach, the Rams appear to have gotten higher by leaning even additional into the place they already excelled as an alternative of attempting to spherical out the lackluster components of their roster.
Do you agree or disagree with RJ and Michael? Share your ideas within the feedback beneath!