The 2016 Super Bowl will likely feature two teams that made the biggest improvements in the early stages of the National Football League free agency sweepstakes – The Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks.
The Colts signed former San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore to give them an effective running game, and inked All-Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson to fill the shoes of All-Pro wide receiver Reggie Wayne.
It seemed like an impossible task to upgrade from Wayne, but the Colts did just that by adding one of the most talented red-zone targets with deep threat potential. Johnson and T.Y. Hilton will give Andrew Luck the chance to take his game one step further to the Super Bowl, and will be helped by a balanced rushing attack.
The Colts also signed ex-Philadelphia Eagles outside linebacker Trent Cole, who is a premier NFL pass rusher. Cole will give Indianapolis the defensive edge that they were missing in the 2014 playoffs.
The Seahawks made a blockbuster trade for New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round draft pick. In return, Seattle sent center Max Unger and a first-round pick to the Saints.
Graham will give Russell Wilson the most talented offensive weapon he has been able to throw to in his young career. The Seahawks’ main focus for the remainder of free agency will be to fill the big hole Unger left behind.
Wilson can now look to Graham when his team is on the 1-yard line with the game on the line. Actually, he can hand it off to running back Marshawn Lynch because Beast Mode signed a two-year contract extension with the team.
The other teams that made the major improvements hail out of the AFC East.
The Miami Dolphins signed All-Pro defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, tight end Jordan Cameron and wide receiver Kenny Stills.
Suh will be a nightmare for New England quarterback Tom Brady and will wreak havoc on the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets quarterbacks.
Cameron is a large speedy tight end with good hands, and Stills is a promising young player with a great deal of potential.
The New York Jets signed All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis, who will shut down one side of the field for opposing offenses.
The Jets also traded for former Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall and Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Marshall will give either Fitzpatrick or Geno Smith a great option, but continued quarterback problems will hurt Marshall’s production.
The Buffalo Bills made a big trade to acquire Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy for linebacker Kiko Alonso.
McCoy will be running behind an average offensive line, but his ability to catch the ball out the backfield will help Buffalo’s quarterback.
The Bills also traded for Matt Cassel from the Minnesota Vikings, and resigned defensive end Jerry Hughes. Cassel will not be the long-term answer for Buffalo, but will be able to help E.J. Manuel in his development.
The Bills are in a similar situation to the Jets because they have struggling young quarterbacks with the pressure of being ousted by mediocre veteran replacements.
The only team that didn’t make a splash in the AFC East was the Super-Bowl winning New England Patriots, but they don’t need to fix what’s not broken.
The only move the Pats made was to sign former Buffalo tight end Scott Chandler and release defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.
The Houston Texans signed Wilfork Tuesday, and the big man will be paired with All-Pro J.J. Watt. That tandem will help make the most imposing defensive line in the NFL in 2015.
CONNOR SONDEL
