The offseason is long and it is very tempting to tune out until after the draft. Teams hire and fire coaches, sign and release players, draft and pass on prospects, rinse, repeat. Now that the last wave of player movement in the offseason is over, you might want the “50 words of less” overview of each team’s offseason if you’ve been Rip Van Winklin’ since the Super Bowl. Here’s the offseason for each team from the 30,000 foot view through a fantasy lens:
AFC East
New England
QB: Small school star Jimmy Garoppolo was added in the second-round to be the next Patriots backup passer to garner trade and Brady heir speculation.
RB: The team let LeGarrette Blount walk and added a host of intriguing rookie talents at running back, led by a small but good all-around back, Wisconsin’s James White.
WR: The team didn’t add any big names at tight end, but they did bring back Julian Edelman and add Brandon LaFell at wide receiver in free agency.
TE: Rob Gronkowski had successful ACL surgery, but will once again come back only when he feels ready.
New York Jets
QB: Geno Smith is still the starter, but Michael Vick (who flourished with offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg in Philadelphia) was added in free agency to push him this summer.
RB: The Jets couldn’t help themselves when Chris Johnson was cut, and signed him to deal with short-term low-end starter money. They’ll run 500 times if they can, with Chris Ivory as the thunder to Johnson’s lightning.
WR: There were no #1 wideouts in free agency, but the Jets got a strong #2 in Eric Decker. The draft saw no huge infusion of WR talent, but instead a TE who is primarily a receiver…
TE: Second-round pick Jace Amaro has a real chance to be the #2 receiving option right away, but on a severely run-heavy team. Jeff Cumberland was re-signed, but what little value he had took a hit.
Miami
QB: Ryan Tannehill’s situation improved because the team spent big money in free agency and a first-round pick to upgrade at offensive tackle.
RB: In a clear sign that Lamar Miller is not trusted to carry the load, Knowshon Moreno was brought in on a short-term deal, presumably to be the lead back.
WR: The team curiously used a second-round pick on Jarvis Landry, likely a slot receiver, although the previous regime were the ones to commit big money to Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline, not the current one.
TE: Charles Clay remains entrenched as the starter, but he could lose fantasy upside if they can run the ball better and Landry arrives quickly.
Buffalo
QB: EJ Manuel gained the best playmaker in the 2014 Draft when the team traded up for Sammy Watkins. They also upgraded at tackle with second-rounder Cyrus Kouandjio. Look for an “all-in” approach on offense that could make Thad Lewis relevant if Manuel falters.
RB: Fred Jackson is getting up there in years, so the team traded a mid-round pick to Philadelphia for Bryce Brown. He could have value if Jackson hits the wall this year.
WR: Promptly after selecting Sammy Watkins, the Bills traded Stevie Johnson to San Francisco for a mid-round pick. Speed, speed, and more speed is the name of the game in this pass offense.
TE: The Bills did not improve a sore spot, instead choosing to re-sign Scott Chandler. Watch out for extremely athletic 2013 seventh-round pick Chris Gragg.
AFC South
Indianapolis
QB: Andrew Luck gained a year of Hakeem Nicks and a very physically talented third-round receiver in Donte Moncrief, in addition to a return to health for Dwayne Allen. Fantasy breakout alert.
RB: Donald Brown, the most productive back last year, was allowed to go to San Diego. Ahmad Bradshaw was brought back and Vick Ballard is getting healthy after a 2013 ACL tear, but it appears that the “2014 first-round pick” Trent Richardson era is in full force.
WR: As mentioned above, Hakeem Nicks is on board and should start, with third-round pick Donte Moncrief waiting in the wings. The short and long-term outlooks at wide receiver got a boost, with one of Lavon Brazill and Da’Rick Rogers likely losing out.
TE: Dwayne Allen is all the way back from hip surgery and you shouldn’t underestimate his ability to hit fantasy starter level numbers. Coby Fleener is back to being a role player as long as Allen is healthy.
Jacksonville
QB: Welcome to the Blake Bortles era. Bortles is a poor man’s Andrew Luck and could be a solid low QB1 for fantasy if everything works out. The Jags also drafted two receivers in the second round for him.
RB: Maurice Jones-Drew, one of the franchise’s signature players, is gone. Toby Gerhart was signed to a modest deal to start, but the team also brought in Bortles’ college teammate Storm Johnson late in the draft, watch out for him. Denard Robinson is also bulking up to stay at RB.
WR: The team clearly is not expecting anything from Justin Blackmon any time soon as he stays in NFL limbo. Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson were taken in the second round to give Cecil Shorts a running partner or two. Both are aggressive after the catch and set up the Jaguars with the parts of a quick passing game.
TE: Marcedes Lewis still holding it down, no changes here.
Houston
QB: The Texans traded Matt Schaub to the Raiders, signed Ryan Fitzpatrick, and drafted Tom Savage in the fourth round. Your NFL-worst long-term QB situation as of this moment. A JJ Watt and #1 pick Jadeveon Clowney-led defense will need to win games for them.
RB: Arian Foster sounds like he’ll be ready to roll for 2014 after offseason back surgery, and the team signed Andre Brown in free agency just in case.
WR: No big moves here, as the Texans appear to be gearing up for a lot of sets with two tight ends or possibly a fullback.
TE: Garrett Graham was brought back on low-end starter money, and CJ Fiedorowicz was taken in the third round to add quality depth along side 2013 sixth-rounder Ryan Griffin.
Tennessee
QB: In no surprise, the Titans did not pick up Jake Locker’s option. Zach Mettenberger was taken in the fifth, but he compete to be the team’s starter in 2015 with a rookie, or possibly Tyler Wilson - unless Locker kills it and earns a tag or new contract.
RB: Another predictable offseason set of moves, as the Titans cut Chris Johnson and drafted solid, but not great Washington RB Bishop Sankey in the second round. He’ll be a darling in redraft and dynasty alike behind an offensive line that added #11 pick Taylor Lewan. Dexter McCluster was added in free agency to play a similar role to the one Danny Woodhead played for Whisenhunt in San Diego last year.
WR: The Kenny Britt experience is over, but Nate Washington managed to stick around for another year. This year should be Justin Hunter’s chance to shine.
TE: Delanie Walker is still the man here, and he’ll be a late value in what should be a better pass offense behind Ken Whisenhunt’s direction.
AFC North
Pittsburgh
QB: The Steelers got a big receiver with speed (Clemson’s Martavis Bryant) after they let Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery walk in free agency. Roethlisberger is a free agent in 2016, so an extension could be coming soon. He’ll be a value a low QB1/high QB2.
RB: LeGarrette Blount was brought to town to help Le’Veon Bell keep from getting worn down too quickly, but he is no threat to Bell’s value.
WR: Markus Wheaton should get a shot to start, but he has competition in Bryant now. Third-round tiny speedster Dri Archer is not really a fantasy threat, but he can help Roethlisberger. Lance Moore was also added as a “glue” third receiver type to help on third downs and what not.
TE: Heath Miller is still the undisputed starter and he will be underrated in year two removed from an ACL tear.
Baltimore
QB: Joe Flacco should be in a more balanced offense, but also one that added Owen Daniels and Steve Smith while retaining Dennis Pitta. Flacco won’t be a QB1, but he’ll be better than he was in 2013.
RB: Ray Rice is up on felony assault charges after knocking his now wife Janay Palmer unconscious. Bernard Pierce could overtake him this year if his hip injury was a sign of a permanent fall-off instead of temporary bump in the run. The Ravens also got a big, versatile back in the fourth round, Coastal Carolina’s Lorenzo Taliaferro.
WR: As mentioned above, Steve Smith was added after the Panthers cut him. He’ll be a reliable chain mover and spark plug, but negligible in fantasy terms. Jacoby Jones was also brought back, but this Gary Kubiak offense will lean on the TE as much as the WR in the passing game.
TE: The message is clear, tight ends will be on the field a lot. In addition to giving Dennis Pitta big money for a tight end, the team reunited Daniels and Kubiak, and drafted very solid two-way TE Crockett Gillmore in the third round.
Cleveland
QB: The Browns have a potential savior in Johnny Manziel after trading up in the late first to get him. He won’t have much in the way of receivers, but if anyone can make a go of it mostly on their own, it’s Johnny Football. His game gives him ton of upside in fantasy leagues.
RB: The cupboard was bare at running back, so the Browns restocked it with Ben Tate on a modest deal, small school star Terrance West in the third, and Matt Waldman’s #1 RB talent in this draft, Isaiah Crowell as a UDFA. This will be fun to watch play out in camp.
WR: It was revealed that Josh Gordon is facing a one-year suspension on the second day of the draft, and yet the Browns drafted zero receivers and traded out of getting the consensus #1, Sammy Watkins. Nate Burleson was signed in free agency. Maybe this regime thinks they can straighten out Greg Little? *shrug* Tons of opportunity here for all kinds of unheralded youngsters in Cleveland camp, including former Bengal Andrew Hawkins, who was signed to an RFA offer sheet and let go by Cincinnati.
TE: Jordan Cameron, are you ready to be the Browns whole passing game?
Cincinnati
QB: Andy Dalton has not gotten an extension, but it’s not impossible that he gets one before the season (although it is unlikely). New offensive coordinator Hue Jackson is going to install a lot more power running to balance the offense. The Bengals took uninspiring game manager AJ McCarron in the fifth round to develop in case they let Dalton walk.
RB: Jeremy Hill is a big bruising back who will be the thunder to Giovani Bernard’s lightning. Benjarvus Green-Eliis is probably not long for the Bengals. Don’t overreact to Hill being drafted, Jackson will run the ball a ton and Bernard can still be a very good RB2 in PPR leagues.
WR: The Bengals didn’t match a modest offer sheet for Andrew Hawkins, but they’ve got personnel to spare at wideout. It has been speculated that Marvin Jones will move into an unconstested starter role this year.
TE: Nothing new here, as Tyler Eifert and Jermaine Gresham will split the fantasy value of the position again in 2014.
AFC West
Denver
QB: Peyton Manning passed his physical, and he’ll be the offense again this year, although the Broncos might aim to go a little less pass-heavy in 2014. Manning lost Eric Decker, but gained Emmanuel Sanders and second-round pick Cody Latimer.
RB: Knowshon Moreno is gone, so it’s Montee Ball’s show. The team didn’t bring in anyone else of note in free agency or the draft.
WR: Eric Decker wasn’t worth keeping to a team on a spending spree to win the title. Instead, they got a cheaper Emmanuel Sanders and drafted Cody Latimer. I don’t think many will notice Decker is gone.
TE: With Decker gone, Julius Thomas is poised to be an even more prominent red zone target. The Broncos didn’t make any moves here in the offseason.
Kansas City
QB: Alex Smith is due to hit free agency, and the only buzz heard is that the sides are far apart. The Chiefs did draft an Andy Reid “extension of the coach” style QB in the fifth round - Georgia’s Aaron Murray.
RB: De’Anthony Thomas was brought as a fourth-rounder in to fill the void left by Dexter McCluster, but otherwise, no changes here.
WR: A team with Dwayne Bowe and no reliable second option at wideout did absolutely nothing at wide receiver in free agency and the draft.
TE: 2013 third-round pick Travis Kelce is doing well in his recovery from microfracture surgery, and the Chiefs are clearly counting on him to a lot, because they didn’t sign or draft anyone at the position. Demetrius Harris is a name to remember if you’re looking for young longshots.
Oakland
QB: The Raiders traded a sixth-round pick for Matt Schaub, then traded Terrelle Pryor to Seattle for a seventh-round pick, and drafted Derek Carr (Fresno State) in the second round at #36. There’s a decent chance they are no closer to having a franchise quarterback than they were at this time last year.
RB: Rashad Jennings went to the Giants in free agency, but the Raiders kept Darren McFadden on a one-year “prove it” deal, and also added Maurice Jones-Drew to the veterans looking for a second chance signing group. 2013 draft pick Latavius Murray and 2014 pick George Atkinson will compete to back up the oft-injured McFadden and declining Jones-Drew
WR: Rod Streater should return to a starting role, with free agent pickup James Jones on the other side. Denarius Moore appears to have fallen out of favor with the current regime and will need to earn his way back into the starting lineup.
TE: 2013 sixth-round pick Mychal Rivera was mentioned as a foundation piece by the team, so he could be vastly underestimated in dynasty leagues.
San Diego
QB: Philip Rivers didn’t get much in the way of reinforcements on the offensive line or wide receiver groups, but the team was trending towards a run-heavy game plan at the end of 2013 anyway.
RB: Donald Brown was added to avoid running Ryan Mathews into the ground for a second straight year, but Mathews is still a solid RB2 heading into 2014 drafts.
WR: Vincent Brown and Eddie Royal are still the #2 and #3 receivers, respectively, with the Chargers making no moves of significance in free agency or the draft.
TE: Ladarius Green should see an increased role this year and perhaps the Chargers are planning on having him make up for a thin wide receiver corps.