Best and worst moves of the NFL offseason

The Vikings-Cousins match looks perfect for both sides. Minnesota gets the top quarterback who could be the missing piece in a Super Bowl contender, and Cousins finds the respect that he lacked in Washington after signing a three-year, $84 million contract. Minnesota enters the season as one of the Super Bowl favorites.

McCarron will finally get his shot to start after sitting behind Andy Dalton in Cincinnati, but the fact that his market was so lukewarm could be telling. The former Alabama quarterback signed for only two years and $10 million as he battles rookie Jake Allen for the starting job. McCarron has looked inconsistent in his limited opportunities and is almost certainly a step down from the steady Tyrod Taylor.

The Browns are just 1-31 over the last two seasons. While they'd like to make drastic improvements this season, they must walk before they can run. Taylor is the perfect fit as a bridge quarterback for No. 1 overall draft choice Baker Mayfield as a similarly mobile quarterback who rarely turns the ball over. He's thrown only 16 interceptions in 44 games over the last three seasons, and that quality should help Cleveland tally several more wins this season while Mayfield learns the ropes.

San Francisco has been bold with its signings in the Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch regime, especially on offense. Some of those moves have already worked out, but this one looks curious. While Shanahan is confident McKinnon can be a featured back, he failed to ever convince Minnesota and averaged less than 4 yards per carry over the last two seasons. It's doubtful any other team was willing to give McKinnon anywhere close to the money he received with the 49ers.

Washington effectively drove Kirk Cousins away by refusing to sign him to a long-term deal despite multiple opportunities, but the team was able to make the best of a bad situation by acquiring Smith from Kansas City. The cost was significant in the form of developing cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third-round pick, but Smith is a proven winner in San Francisco and KC.

New Raiders head coach Jon Gruden made some truly head-scratching moves in the offseason, and Martin's signing was at the top of the list. He's had a front row seat to watch Martin in Tampa Bay, where Martin struggled to stay on the field and averaged just 2.9 yards per carry in consecutive seasons. It's fair to wonder if any other team would have been interested if Oakland didn't take the plunge.

Joe Flacco has struggled recently, but he also hasn't received much help from Baltimore's receivers. The Ravens addressed that issue with new faces this offseason, and Crabtree is the highlight. Before last year's struggles in the Oakland offense, he had consecutive seasons of 85-plus catches and 900-plus receiving yards. An outstanding possession receiver, he's a great fit at a reasonable price tag of three years, $21 million.

Granted, the Giants signed Stewart to a two-year, $6.9 million contract before they took Saquon Barkley second overall in the draft. But even with that timing, this signing was curious. Stewart has averaged less than 4 yards per carry in consecutive seasons and has also struggled to remain healthy for much of his career. At best, he looks like a goal-line option in New York.

Sure, the three-year, $48 million contract was slightly overpriced, but Watkins is a perfect fit in Kansas City. Joining stars Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, the trio makes for arguably the most talented set of receivers in football. That's especially important for a first-year starting quarterback like Patrick Mahomes, and Mahomes' rookie deal helps the Chiefs afford Watkins.

Lewis is an excellent complementary back for power runner Derrick Henry, showing versatility on third downs and averaging 4.8 yards per carry during his career. However, last year was the first time that Lewis was able to manage a regular workload without getting hurt. He played only 14 games, averaging 84 touches in the previous two seasons. Tennessee is really buying high with a four-year, $20 million deal.

New York's offensive line has been a major problem recently, so the team had no choice but to address the issue. Solder does just that as the left tackle, kicking the struggling Ereck Flowers to the right side. The $35 million guaranteed was a high price to pay for the former Patriot, but Eli Manning should have more time to throw the ball downfield.

Miami made some curious moves in the offseason, one of which was franchising Landry before trading him to Cleveland for two low draft choices. While Landry isn't a deep threat, he's been an elite slot receiver for his entire career in Miami and led the NFL in receptions in 2017. Still only 26, Landry could be missed, especially after the Dolphins spent significant money on less productive options in Albert Wilson and Danny Amendola.

The Bucs had only 22 sacks last season, dead last in the NFL. They prioritized the pass rush in the offseason, acquiring Pierre-Paul from the Giants. He's past his prime at age 29 but is coming off a solid year with 8.5 sacks in 2017, and he should make an immediate impact.

Washington deserves credit for trying to beef up its offense, but the team is buying high on Richardson. The former Seahawk had 44 catches for 703 yards last year but had injuries and issues with consistency in his first three seasons in the league. The Redskins struck out on signing Terrelle Pryor last year, and this season could be even more painful if it doesn't work out.

Philadelphia already had arguably the best defensive line in football last season, and the Eagles now upgraded from Vinny Curry to Bennett. Although he turns 33 in November, Bennett has made three consecutive Pro Bowls and is a load against both the run and pass. In a rotation where he can stay fresh, Bennett could be even more effective when he's on the field.

Jacksonville opted to let Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns walk in free agency in favor of Moncrief. The Jags are giving the former Colts wideout $9.6 million guaranteed while saving in the long term, but there's certainly no guarantee Moncrief will bounce back. He's struggled to stay on the field over the last two seasons and had only 698 yards receiving in 21 games when he did play.

Peppers returns to Carolina for perhaps one last go-around on a one-year contract at age 38. While he's more of a pass-rushing specialist at this point, Peppers is still effective. He had 11 sacks for Carolina last season and is still a giant at the line. For just $5 million, he's a huge bargain.

Amendola does everything that's asked of him, but at this time last year he didn't even look like a sure thing to remain in New England. He had just 23 receptions in 12 games during 2016 and had just four games with more than 50 yards last season before his playoffs onslaught. Kudos to Amendola for cashing in on a two-year, $12 million contract, but the Dolphins look like they're buying high on the 32-year-old.

Peters was a headache at times for the Chiefs, and that's likely the reason LA was able to get him for just a second- and fourth-round pick. For his shortcomings, Peters is an uber-talented cornerback who was an All-Pro in 2016 and has a whopping 19 interceptions in three seasons. He makes any secondary better.

The Bills defensive personnel has evolved since Sean McDermott was hired last year. They almost gave away Marcell Dareus in a trade last season and have now turned around and given Lotulelei big money. McDermott knows the big defensive tackle from his days in Carolina, but his recent contribution hasn't been on par with the price.

Coming off a torn Achilles, Sherman is motivated in his return at age 30. He immediately makes the 49ers secondary better, not only with his ability as a lockdown corner but also with his skill in diagnosing plays for his teammates.

Continuing with Jon Gruden's apparent effort to make his team older, he signed 13-year Chief Derrick Johnson. Aside from the odd appearance of moving to a heated rival, Johnson completely lost his effectiveness last year at age 35 after his second torn Achilles. The Chiefs rotated him out of games, and the four-time Pro Bowler struggled to stop the run when he was on the field. Aside from a role as a teacher, it's difficult to see how this move helps.

Mathieu is looking to rehab his value after struggling with the Cardinals last year following ACL surgery. The Texans desperately needed help in their secondary after allowing the most points in football last season, and there's little risk here with a one-year contract.

Tennessee has plenty of New England connections in the front office and coaching staff, so it's no surprise that the Titans would sign a former Patriot. Still, the size of Butler's contract qualifies as a major risk given his struggles in his final season with New England. The Patriots didn't allow Butler to find the field on defense in the Super Bowl, yet he's being paid like a top corner.