They certainly didn’t splurge in free agency with tier 1 players but it does look like they’ve gotten better quality this year. At least on paper.
I don't know. Fowler would be considered a quality signing coming off a 10-sack season. Of course, that's why he cost the most at $6 million, a price Dallas hasn't paid a FA in a long time.
OL Robert Jones ($3.75 million) was a starting lineman the Dolphins replaced in free agency before he signed with us. He started at left guard and allowed five sacks (1st the team), four quarterback hits (1st), 19 hurries (2nd), and 28 pressures (2nd). It looks like a better signing after drafting Booker because he's clearly now just depth.
DE Payton Turner ($3 million) failed as a first-round pick in New Orleans. His last year was his best and he only had two sacks, three QB hits and 21 tackles. I think he's here for the role that Golston had last year as a run-stopping end. At this point, I don't think anyone should be looking for him to become a major factor against the pass.
DT Solomon Thomas ($2.75 million this year, but a rare two-year FA deal) is kind of the opposite of Turner. He can add some pressure (3.5 sacks last year, which is decent for an interior lineman), but he's not necessarily a player you want out there trying to stop the run.
WR Parris Campbell ($1.3 million) barely got on the field for Philadelphia last season and wasn't much better for the Giants the previous season. He's battled all kinds of injuries and has had only one productive year.
RB Javonte Williams ($3 million) has averaged 3.6 and 3.7 YPC the last two seasons.
RB Miles Sanders ($1.3 million) has been even worse at 3.3 and 3.7.
LB Jack Sanborn ($1.5) wasn't even thought highly enough of by Chicago's front office to tender him as an RFA. Perhaps it was because he isn't that good in coverage.
OL Hakeem Adeniji ($1.1 million) and Saahdiq Charles ($1.5 million) also have some starting experience, but also appear to be questionable enough to not draw a lot of money.
I'm not sure that differs much from RB Royce Freeman (who'd averaged 4.1 YPC the year before we signed him), RB Ezekiel Elliott, LB Erik Kendricks, re-signing OL Chuma Edoga to be the primary backup, re-signing Jourdan Lewis to be the nickel corner, re-signing Rico Dowdle.
The players we signed and traded for are fill-ins for the players we lost: Edoga as the swing tackle, Elliott/Dowdle as the running backs, Lawson as a pass-rushing DE, DeMarcus Lawrence/Golston as a run-stopping DE, Golston/Watkins as pass-rushing backup DT, Lewis as nickel corner, Kendricks as MLB and Cooks as the No. 2 receiver.
We also traded for Elam, Murray and Pickens to cover those losses.
Are the players we got an improvement over what we lost? That's hard to say for the most part. Most were cheap for a reason.
