This NFL offseason was one of the craziest in recent memory, with franchise quarterbacks relocating to new spots and the wide receiver market thriving thanks to the Jacksonville Jaguars signing Christian Kirk to a massive deal on the first day of free agency. Everything snowballed from there with player movement at that position, creating one of the busiest offseasons ever. Through 15 weeks of the 2022 NFL season, let’s rank what moves ultimately turned out to be the best in the league — regardless of position. There are no offseason grades with this one, just strictly production and the player’s impact on the team that acquired him. Spoiler alert: The Philadelphia Eagles occupy a majority of the the top five spots.
The impact Hill has made on this Dolphins offense in year one of a four-year, $120 million contract is incredible. Hill has already set the single-season record for receiving yards for the Dolphins (1,529) and is on pace to finish with 132 catches for 1,857 yards and nine touchdowns.
Hill would shatter Stefon Diggs’ record for most catches (127) and receiving yards (1,535) for a player in his first season with a team at that pace. He’s second in the NFL in receptions and receiving yards, while helping Tua Tagovailoa become one of the most prolific passers in the league. Tagovailoa leads the NFL in yards per attempt (8.6) and passer rating (107.8), having a 108.1 rating when targeting Hill. This was the best move of the offseason, even if it cost Miami a first, second, two fourths, and a sixth-round pick from this year and next year’s draft.
Brown’s importance to Jalen Hurts becoming the most improved player in the NFL can not be overstated, as he’s the first 1,000-yard receiver for the franchise since Jeremy Maclin in 2014. Brown has 1,201 receiving yards through 14 games, already surpassing Terrell Owens for the most receiving yards in their first season with the Eagles.
The Eagles have the No. 2 scoring offense in the NFL and haven’t finished with a top two scoring offense since 1949. Brown is on pace to finish with 90 catches for 1,458 yards and 12 touchdowns, as the catches and yards would be the most for any wide receiver in franchise history. Only 25 years old, Brown is just beginning to scratch the surface of how good he can be. Philadelphia has Brown for at least four more seasons at $25 million per year.
Another offseason signing Eagles general manager Howie Roseman knocked out of the park. Days after the New York Giants controversially released Bradberry in a cap cutting move, the Eagles swooped in and signed him to a one-year deal.
Bradberry is having an All-Pro season for the No. 1 pass defense in the NFL, as opposing quarterbacks have just a 42.7% completion rate targeting him and throwing just one touchdown. Bradberry has three interceptions and 14 passes defensed, trailing only Sauce Gardner for the most in the NFL. Opposing quarterbacks have just a 39.3 passer rating targeting Bradberry, the best for any player that’s been targeted 50-plus times. The Eagles have the most interceptions in the league (15) and opposing quarterbacks have the second lowest passer rating against them (78.2).Bradberry and Darius Slay are the best cornerback tandem in football. All it cost Philadelphia was $7.25 million.
The Eagles had just 29 sacks last season. They lead the NFL with 55 this year, the most by any NFL team through 14 games since the 2000 New Orleans Saints. Reddick is a massive reason why.The first player to have three consecutive 10-plus sack seasons with three different teams in three consecutive years, Reddick leads the Eagles with 12.5 sacks on the season (fifth in the NFL). Reddick also has 54 pressures and 19 quarterback hits on the year, a perfect fit to attack off the edge in defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s scheme. Philadelphia signed Reddick to a three-year, $45 million deal because of his ability to get to the quarterback. Add a healthy Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat to the mix and the Eagles have arguably the most dangerous collection of edge rushers in football.
The Eagles are eight sacks shy of breaking the franchise record. Reddick deserves consideration as one of the best pass rushers in football, as he and Myles Garrett are the only two players to have 10-plus sacks in each of the last thee years.
The Vikings defense is one of the worst in the NFL, but how bad would Minnesota be if Smith wasn’t on the unit? Smith leads the NFL with 72 pressures and has 10 sacks on the season to go with 21 quarterback hits. The Vikings are 17th in the league with 33 sacks, as Smith is responsible for 30.3% of the team output.The only player in the league with 50 hurries this season, Smith has only had Danielle Hunter to help him out in the pass rush. While Smith only has a 0.5 sack and 17 pressures in his last five games, he still is the player opposing offensive lines have to stop every week.
Again, where would the Vikings be without Smith? That three-year, $42 million deal appears to be a huge bargain for his production.