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    Winners and losers at the start of NFL free agency
    Jan 12, 2020; Kansas City, MO, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) runs against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter in a AFC Divisional Round playoff football game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
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    Winners and losers at the start of NFL free agency

    The NFL's free agency "legal tampering window" opened yesterday. A fury of transactions immediately followed. So who were the big winners and losers from day one of free agency?

    By Cole Thompson

    So who else had a fun Monday? There was a parade of roster moves made at the start of the NFL’s tampering period yesterday, giving fans a taste of what their team’s future may hold in 2020. Trades were made, and contract terms were agreed to resulting in players finding new homes for the next steps of their careers.

    And then you have Bill O’Brien, who just chose to destroy the city of Houston in one fell swoop, but more on that later.

    The NFL is a revolving door of transactions, wit players coming and going. Sometimes it will help set the team up for success; other times, it will help with the pending rebuild.

    Related | NFL News and Rumors Tracker: Free Agency, 2020 NFL Draft, and More

    The deals won’t go through until March 18th, but some teams started their 2020 off right while others missed the mark. Here are Pro Football Network’s winners and losers.

    Winner: Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals

    Are we about to see the third second-year player take home the MVP award? If Kliff Kingsbury and Steve Keim have a say, Kyler Murray is going to make the NFC West an even tougher division while tearing it up in his sophomore season.

    The Cardinals straight up robbed the Houston Texans for DeAndre Hopkins in exchange for David Johnson, a second-round pick and a swap of fourth rounders. Do you know that meme of the guy laughing uncontrollably? That was most of the NFL watching Bill O’Brien rip the soul out of a city in mere seconds.

    Hopkins, an All-Pro wide receiver who has been the driving force for Houston’s offense since 2013, will join the likes of a rising Christian Kirk and the veteran Larry Fitzgerald. While the Cardinals will have just over $21 million in cap space to spend moving forward, the team will be able to address smaller needs while looking to the draft to find protection for their Rookie of the Year gun-slinger at No.8.

    Plus, the team was able to get rid of a contract for a running back who has been the shell of his former self since 2016 while also bringing back Kenyan Drake on a tender deal. This was a highway robbery for the Cardinals, and they’re not getting caught by stealing the loot from Houston.

    Loser: Houston Texans

    They traded away an All-Pro wide receiver for a second-round pick and the worst starting running back in the league last season. It’s nearly been 12 hours since the trade happened, and I still can’t process it.

    And no, there’s no reason to go into detail of how they’re losers. The fact Hopkins is gone for a pathetic excuse of an “overhaul” is enough to call you losers no matter what happens.

    Winner: Teams who traded for veterans

    Man, O’Brien is looking worse by the minute thanks to guys like Chris Ballard and Brandon Beane. You know, actual general managers who are paid to stop trades like that happening.

    The Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts didn’t hesitate to add proven veterans over potential rookies Monday by adding Minnesota’s Stefon Diggs and San Francisco’s DeForest Bucker. Diggs, who tweeted earlier his disapproval of Kirk Cousins’ extension, will now become the No.1 receiver for Josh Allen in an offense that continues to get better.

    The Colts’ addition of Buckner now fills the need inside at defensive tackle. As one of the rising stars in the trenches, the former Top 10 pick will be a part of a defense that will become the team’s identity moving forward. With over $45 million in cap space, Ballard was quick to sign his new star defender to a $21 million average contract, making him the second-highest-paid defensive tackle in football.

    Instead of trusting the development of players who could pan out, both teams addressed needs that will keep them in contention. And the way the AFC East and South are looking, Buffalo and Indianapolis should be viewed as playoff contenders with quality draft classes.

    Winners: Teams who traded away veterans

    It’s not often that everyone walks away a winner in a trade. The crazier thing is it happened twice heading into Tuesday morning, so raise a pint to them on St.Patrick’s Day.

    Minnesota needed to move on from Diggs after the power struggle last season. Instead of seeing if he could stick around and lower his value, the Vikings hauled in a first, fifth and sixth-round pick this year while only giving up a seventh-round selection. At picks 22 and 25, things could become interesting for them to move up and draft a cornerback such as Florida’s CJ Henderson and address maybe tackle or defensive line needs.

    San Francisco, on the other hand, will now have the ability to start young and fix needs everywhere. The fact that the team re-signed Arik Armstead proves that the team would let Bucker walk at the end of his deal. With the 13th pick, perhaps they target a cornerback and then trade out late to add more picks.

    The 49ers are built to win while Minnesota now will be able to use the money saved to re-sign someone like Anthony Harris to the secondary. This is hard to be mad at overall if you’re a fan of any team.

    Winners: Cleveland Browns

    Andrew Berry is not messing around this offseason.

    The Browns allowed 41 sacks last season and will need to replace both sides of the ball. One need could be addressed in April’s draft, but the other was met on Monday afternoon with the singing of Jack Conklin. Conklin, who was by far the top offensive tackle in the free-agent pool, will receive $42 million over three years. That means when Conklin is done with this deal; he’ll be set to turn 29, which could lead to the team have their long-term starter on the right side.

    Helping Baker Mayfield out in the passing, Cleveland started the day by making Austin Hooper the highest-paid tight end in the league by the tune of $44 million. Making two consecutive Pro Bowl appearances, 2019 was a breakout year in Atlanta for Hooper, where he caught 75 passes for 787 yards and six scores. And each year since leaving Stanford and still has room to improve at 25.

    The Browns looked to be better in 2019 but struggled. They certainly have got better one day into free agency, but will the results be the same?

    Winner/Loser: QB Baker Mayfield

    Let’s make this quick, shall we? Mayfield will now have six quality weapons on offense at wide receiver, running back and tight end. His offensive line will improve since the team is expected to draft a left tackle in the top 10 this April.

    Much like Mitch Trubisky, each player had a solid season and a down one. The third-year will end the tie-breaker, showing if the former No.1 overall pick is set to be the future starter for Cleveland.

    Excuses are running out Mayfield, so best make it happen this season before you get the Mitch Trubisky treatment.

    Loser: New York Jets

    But the Jets didn’t make any big moves?!?! Right, that’s why they’re losers.

    New York was expected to be in the market for Conklin two weeks ago due to contract negations seemingly going smooth. Instead, he’ll end up playing for the Browns over the next three years. Ricky Wagner was a year removed from one of his better seasons before signing to join Green Bay. Anthony Castonzo will head back to Indianapolis while Halapoulivaati Vaitai will move up to the Motor City.

    And the Jets? They paid George Fant, a swing tackle $30 million, when they could have put that money to better use.

    The Jets will likely now have to trust the draft process to find their left tackle of the future. New York was expected to be in the market for a wide receiver at pick No.11, but will likely miss out on players such as Jerry Jeudy or CeeDee Lamb in favor of Jedrick Wills or Andrew Thomas.

    New York has $44 million in cap space and did nothing to begin the market, watching top players on their list sign elsewhere. It’s not a good look to year two under Adam Gase.

    Winner: Dallas Cowboys… for now

    The last offseason when the team signed Ezekiel Elliott to a new contract, the question would be who was going to be left out. In the end, it was clear Byron Jones would be looking for a new home, and Jerry Jones would focus on offense.

    Tag Dak Prescott and figure out the logistics? Check. Bring back your Pro Bowl wide receiver? Double-check.

    The Cowboys agreed to a five-year, $100 million deal with Amari Cooper late Monday night. The former Raider was traded away for a first-round pick and since has rejuvenated his career in the Lone Star State. Through five seasons, Cooper has finished four with 1,000-plus yards, setting a career-best in touchdowns in 2019.

    Dallas now will have a base to build around with the likes of Elliott, Cooper, Prescott, Zach Martin, and La’El Collins on offense while trusting DeMarcus Lawrence, Jaylon Smith, and Leighton Vander Esch on the defensive side. The team should address needs and cornerback and defensive tackle early, making them contenders on both sides of the ball.

    But everything has a cost, and until Prescott is on a new deal, this will be a win for a season – not forever. 

    Loser: Chicago Bears

    Man, Ryan Pace. Why do you make me say bad things about you? I don’t like doing this stuff.

    The Bears re-signed Danny Trevathan to a three-year contract after the middle linebacker missed 18 games in the last four seasons due to injury. Still, when healthy, he’s a serviceable running mate to Roquan Smith.

    Then Pace had too much of his own hot sauce and went nuclear in free agent mode and signed Jimmy Graham to a $16 million contract. The 33-year-old was once viewed as the best tight end in football during his stint in New Orleans.

    Since his trade to Seattle? Not so much.

    Over the past two years with the Green Bay Packers, Graham registered 93 catches for 1,083 and five touchdowns. That was the average seasonal numbers and then some back in his prime days. The team will likely cut ties with both or either Adam Shaheen and Trey Burton this offseason, but it won’t make up for the $8 million Graham is going to earn.

    Debatable: Miami Dolphins

    If you don’t succeed, build a Bill Belichick defense? That could be the case down in South Beach for the Dolphins as they prep for the second year under Brian Flores.

    Cornerback Byron Jones would become the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, signing a five-year $82.5 million deal. He will join the former highest-paid corner Xaivien Howard to create a terrifying duo at cornerback, hoping to lock down the AFC East receivers.

    All these deals could be huge busts by next season. We’ve seen cornerbacks like Byron Maxwell have early success and struggle immediately in a new system, and Flowers is still Flowers. Van Noy was a lost cause in Detroit but revitalized his career in Belichick’s system.

    For now, the team improved on defense and will be in line to better find their other needs early in the draft. Flores and Chris Grier were smart to unload the last offseason because it’s leading them to a potentially promising era down in Hard Rock Stadium.

    Winners: Las Vegas Raiders

    Quietly, the Raiders became better over Monday’s deals. Sure, they didn’t bring in a big-name player who will draw in a crowd, but they addressed needs that could impact their draft stock.

    Mike Mayock finally address the need at linebacker with the addition of Nick Kwiatkoski for a team-friendly $21 million deal. Last season in Chicago, the former mid-rounder made strides, becoming a well-rounded player on all aspects of defense. This should fill up one need that has been a problem for years in their old city.

    And if the Raiders want to move on from Derek Carr, they have a serviceable option with Marcus Mariota. The former No.2 pick is dependable insurance for the team, similar to what Tannehill was with Mariota’s old team. Perhaps a change of scenery could be the thing holding back the former Heisman winner from becoming a star.

    With these two signings, the draft becomes whatever the Raiders want in April. Linebacker, wide receiver, and cornerback will all be available inside the top 20, making their options limitless when they’re on the clock.

    Loser: Houston Texans head coach Bill O’Brien

    Because calling you a loser once today for perhaps the dumbest move in NFL offseason history was just not enough.

    Cole Thompson is a lead writer for PFN. You can follow him on Twitter @MrColeThompson, and follow PFN @PFN365. 

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