The bulk of high-impact offseason roster movement is in the rearview mirror and nearly every team was able to fill a roster void with a veteran addition.
Here are the 25 biggest position upgrades from the 2019 offseason. Whether it was via free agency, trade or draft, these teams' chances of 2019 success improved as a product of these significant acquisitions.
Note: 2019 team and player projections are my own, compiled through a thorough process that is both quantitative (league, team, coaching and player trends) and qualitative (projected depth chart placement and role). For all offensive linemen, I provided Pro Football Focus' player grades for last season.
Jump to best upgrade at each position:
QB | RB | WR | OL | DL | LB | DB
1. Oakland Raiders, WR
Antonio Brown replaces Jordy Nelson
Nelson's 2018 stat line: 63 receptions, 739 yards, 3 TD
Brown's 2019 projection: 105 receptions, 1,290 yards, 10 TD
Brown's falling out with Pittsburgh management was one of the offseason's biggest storylines and led to a trade to the West Coast. Arguably the league's best wide receiver of the past decade, Brown has finished no lower than fourth at the position in targets, no lower than seventh in receptions and no lower than ninth in receiving yards each of the past six seasons. Meanwhile, Raiders receivers combined for nine touchdowns last season (third fewest in the league). The soon-to-be 31-year-old Brown will undoubtedly be a target monster as Derek Carr's undisputed top target.
2. New York Jets, RB
Le'Veon Bell replaces Isaiah Crowell
Crowell's 2018 stat line: 164 touches, 837 yards, 6 TD
Bell's 2019 projection: 337 touches, 1,723 yards, 9 TD
Bell infamously sat out the entire 2018 season before signing a four-year, $52.5 million contract with the Jets. Whereas Crowell rotated with Bilal Powell and Trenton Cannon, Bell's career usage and paycheck suggest he'll have a workhorse role. When we last saw Bell, he racked up 1,946 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on a league-high 406 touches in 15 games back in 2017. He's unlikely to hit those marks again in his age-27 season, but there's no doubt he'll be a heavily used playmaker in the Jets' new-look offense.
