Saturday, March 30, 2013

Has Free Agency Changed Anything?

Unscripted NFL Power Rankings
2013 Offseason Pre-Draft

Most of the major changes of the NFL's free agency period have occurred, so I'd say its safe to go ahead and make another set of power rankings before the draft happens in a few weeks.

But has free agency really changed anything? Yes and no. No, in the sense that my Top 10 consists of the same 10 teams it did last time, Pre-Free Agency. Yes, in the sense that there has been some movement up and down the board, perhaps even in the #1 spot... Did I have the courage to dethrone one of my my favorite teams, the Patriots? Hike!

10.  Washington Redskins (1)
Last Week: 9th
Highest Ranking: 9th (Pre-Free Agency)

The Redskins, my other favorite team, have the misfortune of suffering half of the $36 million salary cap penalty this year, preventing them from doing much of anything beyond the retention of many of their free agents, including Fred Davis now, and even then they lost DeAngelo Hall and Lorenzo Alexander. There is some good news though (which is why the Skins are still in the Top 10 as opposed to, say, the Bengals): RG3 is apparently superhuman and stands a good chance at a full recovery and may even start in Week 1. He's already tossing the football around to receivers, though not the normal kind...

9.  Indianapolis Colts (↑1)
Last Week: 10th
Highest Ranking: 9th (Pre-Draft)

The Colts entered free agency with the most cap space of any team, but have yet to do anything drastic to move them much up or down and still need significant depth at wide receiver.

8.  Houston Texans (--)
Last Week: 8th
Highest Ranking: 8th (Pre-Draft)

Signing Ed Reed helps, but the Texans still have much to prove.

7.  Baltimore Ravens (↓2)
Last Week: 5th
Highest Ranking: 5th (Pre-Free Agency)

You won the Superbowl and then lost half your starting roster. Maybe if you hadn't ridiculously overpaid Joe Flacco, you could have retained more of your champion players. And now you're playing the first game of the 2013 on the road. Better win or you'll start to free fall more quickly.

6.  Green Bay Packers (↑1)
Last Week: 7th
Highest Ranking: 6th (Pre-Draft)

The Packers lost WR Greg Jennings, but they should be okay barring any huge mistakes in what's left of free agency or the draft.

5.  Atlanta Falcons (↓2)
Last Week: 3rd
Highest Ranking: 3rd (Pre-Free Agency)

Don't feel too bad about dropping 2 spots, Atlanta. It's not that you've had a terrible free agency - it was actually one of your best in recent years - but just that other team have surpassed you with their own free agency decisions. Speaking of which...

4.  Seattle Seahawks (↑2)
Last Week: 6th
Highest Ranking: 4th (Pre-Draft)

I think a lot of people have been overreacting just a bit too much to the Seahawks' signing of Percy Harvin. I may be a bit more cautious to put Seattle at #1 yet, but it was a great move, the Seahawks are a young, talented team I really believed in last year as well, and you'll notice I did bump them up two spots. I encourage the Hawks to prove my caution wrong.

3.  Denver Broncos (↑1)
Last Week: 4th
Highest Ranking: 3rd (Pre-Draft)

The half of my heart that is a Patriots fan still hurts that you took Wes Welker, Denver. But I don't hate you for it and I still respect you and the classic Brady-Manning rivalry (after all, you're not the Jets!), so enjoy your move up the power rankings. I look forward to the Pats meeting (and beating) you in the AFC championship.

2.  New England Patriots (↓1)
Last Week: 1st
Highest Ranking: 1st (Pre-Free Agency)

The Patriots lost Welker, but retained the other free agents they needed to and you can make a strong argument wide receiver Danny Amendola can make just as much, if not greater, an impact than Welker would have... Maybe... Also, signing Adrian Wilson should help a defense which is improved from a few years ago but continues to fall significantly short of elite.

1.  San Francisco 49ers (↑1)
Last Week: 2nd
Highest Ranking: 1st (Pre-Draft)

I didn't name the Pats as #1; I can't believe it either. But the 49ers grabbed a great offensive threat in Anquan Boldin and seem poised to make it to the NFC championship yet again, if not the Superbowl itself.

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