Best, worst NFL moves from wild Wednesday

The Chargers already boasted an exciting duo at cornerback with Casey Hayward and Desmond King. That wasn’t enough for them, so they went out and signed Harris Jr. to a two-year, $20 million deal. While the 30-year-old cornerback has taken a slight step back with age, he remains an outstanding force in coverage.

When opposing teams send their offense out on to the field, they will be in serious trouble. The Chargers now boast a trio of cornerbacks who can erase three receivers, completely neutralizing them for the opposing quarterback. Meanwhile, All-Pro safety Derwin James will be healthy next season and free to make plays. We haven’t even mentioned the duo of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram creating havoc on the edge. Best of luck to quarterbacks facing this team in 2020. It’s going to be nearly impossible to put up big numbers against them.

Worst: Bears waste their chips on Nick Foles

In an offseason with Cam Newton available, the Bears opted to take a bigger gamble with Foles. Everyone remembers his magical run to become a Super Bowl MVP. He has also tied for the NFL’s single-game record in touchdowns (seven) and consecutive completions (25). But there have also been long stretches in his career where he looks like he belongs on the bench, a reality that multiple teams seemed to find out.

The Bears got a quarterback who will challenge Trubisky and could beat him, but it’s not enough of an upgrade to where it feels like this team can instantly win the NFC North. Chicago also agreed to take on a contract that no one in the NFL wanted. While the Bears did restructure his deal, Foles is still owed $21 million guaranteed. The Bears should have received a fourth-round pick for taking this contract, not given one up.

Best: Cowboys bolster defensive line with Gerald McCoy

Dallas kept Amari Cooper and Dak Prescott this offseason, but it also lost plenty of its talent on the defensive side. It started to feel like the front office would ignore the importance of filling the holes on their defense, but they came through with a surprise in the first hour of Wednesday morning.

McCoy is no longer the Pro Bowl star who dominated in the trenches for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He’s now 32 and age has taken away some of his burst and athleticism. He still knows how to make an impact, though, demonstrated by 13 quarterback hits and five sacks this past season. He can be moved around on the defensive line and will provide some desperately needed interior pressure for this defense, all at an affordable cost.

Worst: Raiders make another baffling move

The Raiders wanted to spend big money to land a top cornerback this offseason. They struck out on Byron Jones and seemingly watched as Chris  Harris Jr. joined a division rival. Instead of landing a top corner, Las Vegas will be welcoming Eli Apple to its secondary this season.

It’s hard to understand what the Raiders see in the 24-year-old cornerback. He’s a top-10 bust from the 2016 NFL Draft who two teams have now moved on from. This is a team that badly needs help covering receivers and that’s one thing Apple struggles to do. The Raiders have made some nice moves in free agency, but this their second move that seems questionable, at best.

Best: Broncos take advantage of desperate Titans

The Titans came into the offseason determined to keep Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. They accomplished both of their goals. Because of their limited cap space, though, tough decisions needed to be made and that meant trading Jurrell Casey. John Elway saw an opportunity and came away with an absolute steal, landing an outstanding defensive lineman for a seventh-round pick.

Casey recorded five sacks in 2019 and has put up five-plus sacks in each of his past seven seasons. The veteran defensive lineman also brings versatility and stability to a defense that needs it. Casey is going to be an incredible force on the interior defensive line for Denver, making life even easier for Von Miller and Bradley Chubb. Moves like this are making the Broncos a sleeper team in 2020.

Worst: Rams make weird history with surprising deal

The decision to bring Andrew Whitworth back isn’t surprising. The 38-year-old remains a reliable left tackle and his leadership in the locker room is incredibly valuable. It’s the decision to give him a three-year, $30 million deal, the highest-paying contract ever for a non-quarterback over the age of 35, that seems baffling. Whitworth wanted to return to the Rams, so the team was only bidding with itself to sign him. It’s also a significant chunk of change for a team that can’t make many moves because they are in a horrific cap situation.

Best: Saints improve secondary, reunite with Malcolm Jenkins

Sean Payton said in 2019 that one of the team’s biggest mistakes during his tenure was letting Malcolm Jenkins depart via free agency in 2014. While it took a few years to correct, the Saints fixed their mistake on Wednesday and welcomed Jenkins back.

The 32-year-old safety brings incredible versatility. He covers tight ends. He can be sent on the blitz and he can roam deep and make plays. While he might not be quite the playmaker he used to be, Jenkins makes up for that with his leadership and instincts. The Saints are determined to win a Super Bowl next season and Jenkins is the player who could help them do it.