Some anticipated that the Indianapolis Colts would be improved this season provided that Andrew Luck was able to return healthy, GM Chris Ballard found gems with their extra draft picks and Frank Reich would help everyone forget about the Josh McDaniels pursuit. Little did we know how well all of those things (plus a few key additions in free agency) would pan out.
With that in mind, we hereby re-grade every NFL team's 2018 offseason with the benefit of hindsight, using as a reference point the grades league insiders helped shape back in June.
Read through all 32 teams, listed in order of their re-grade, or skip ahead to your favorite team by clicking on its logo:
A grades
Indianapolis Colts
Re-grade: A+ | Offseason grade: B-
Josh McDaniels' abrupt about-face could have set back the organization for years. It now looks like a blessing.
From hiring Reich as head coach to finding linebacker Darius Leonard in the second round to the trade that helped Indy emerge with guard Quenton Nelson, tackle Braden Smith and pass-rusher Kemoko Turay, Ballard hit home run after home run last offseason. Signing Eric Ebron (67 receptions, 750 yards, 13 touchdowns) and Denico Autry (nine sacks) added to the gap between Indy and other teams.
None of it would matter much if Luck had not returned healthy following his shoulder scare. The Colts were betting on him to make it back, and they were right on that one as well. Thanks to the 2018 offseason, the organization no longer needs its quarterback to do all the heavy lifting.