The Eagles stole receiver Steve Smith from the Giants three years ago, and Nnamdi Asomugha from the Jets. Giants general manager Jerry Reese came under siege while the Eagles were being hailed as a Dream Team.
In other words, no one wins a Super Bowl in March.
But fans live for today. Fans have no salary cap. Fans want immediate gratification. Fans don’t like their team sitting on its hands while a rival signs a marquee name.
Fans don’t necessarily subscribe to the notion that building through the draft and re-signing your own players and supplanting with a surgical free agent strike or two is usually good business.
Redskins fans were ecstatic when DT Albert Haynesworth was handed $41 million guaranteed. Remember how that worked out?
The league has changed rules in the interest of player safety, and is exploring other changes, but no one is petitioning to hand out the Lombardi Trophy in March. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean we can’t take a first look at how our Giants and Jets have fared against their respective division rivals over the first week of the gold rush.
NFC East
Eagles: The last place Big Blue needed Darren Sproles to land was in Chip Kelly’s laboratory. Eagles GM Howie Roseman beat the Redskins to The Next Brian Mitchell for a mere fifth-round draft choice. Which means giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will be having nightmares about Sproles and LeSean McCoy deployed together as Kelly’s Legion of Zoom. The Eagles upgraded the league’s worst pass defense with safety Malcolm Jenkins and adding big corner Nolan Carroll. Jenkins has just six interceptions in six years, but he was a former No. 1 draft choice, a captain on the Saints, and only 26. He’s not Jairus Byrd, but he’s not the departed Patrick Chung, either. Carroll isn’t Darrelle Revis, but he isn’t the faded Asomugha, either. Kelly, with just six draft picks, should try to trade DeSean Jackson.
The Eagles own the 22nd pick in the NFL Draft and will target another defensive back and a pass rusher in the draft.
Redskins: DE Jason Hatcher (11 sacks last season) damages the Cowboys, always a good thing for owner Daniel Snyder, but he signed a four-year deal worth $27.5 million will be 32 soon, and there are questions whether he can be an effective 3-4 end. CB Tracy Porter started 16 games for the Raiders in 2012, and if he can pick-six Peyton Manning in a Super Bowl, he can pick-six Eli Manning. WR Andre Roberts, just 26, is a better Robin to Pierre Garçon than Santana Moss was and at a reasonable price (four years/$16 million). ILB Darryl Sharpton has a chance to be a low-cost starter. Guard Shaun Lauvao ( four/$17 million) adds a bigger Hog on the interior in front of Robert Griffin III.
Now only if Jay Gruden had a first-round draft choice.
Giants: Reese still could use more beef in front of Eli Manning than just the addition of guard Geoff Schwartz. Rashad Jennings is a much-needed big back to replace Andre Brown, and who knows whether David Wilson can make it back? How about Devin Hester to return kicks? Re-signing leader Jon Beason and adding versatile Jameel McClain gives Perry Fewell a respectable linebacking corps at last. Keith Rivers left (yawn). O’Brien Schofield, we hardly knew ye. They missed out on guard Shelley Smith and WR/KR Jacoby Jones, and stunningly lowballed Justin Tuck, who will be missed. Who to replace Corey Webster? How about Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie? Prince Amukamara needs a bookend. WR Hakeem Nicks (Colts, one/$3.5 mil) didn’t warrant long-term deal.
The Giants own the 12th pick in the draft and will be eyeing OL, CB< TE, ILB or pass rusher. If they don’t sign Ro-Cro, CB Justin Gilbert makes plenty of sense.
Cowboys: Cash-strapped Jerry Jones is scrambling after losing DeMarcus Ware. He missed out on DE Julius Peppers, who would have been a 34-year- old Band-Aid, to the Packers. DT Henry Melton would fill a huge void left by the departure of Hatcher as long as his ACL holds up. A shame Leon Lett is unavailable. DE Jerome Mincey (eight sacks in 2011, 20 for his career) can also slide inside. But DE Anthony Spencer could flee the cuckoo’s nest. Special teamer extraordinaire/backup linebacker Will Herring was left standing at the altar when the boys reneged on a deal, according to his agent. Brandon Weeden is under consideration as a Tony Romo backup. Romo’s window is really closing now.
The Cowboys own the 16th pick of the draft (DT Tim Jernigan)?
AFC East
Dolphins: The happiest man in South Beach after LT Branden Albert (five/$47 million) signed was Ryan Tannehill, who was sacked a league-high 58 times last season. New GM Dennis Hickey may have overpaid, but that’s a small price to pay to protect your franchise QB and vaporize the stench of Bullygate. Trading OL Jonathan Martin to the 49ers for a conditional seventh-round pick was merciful and wise. Resigning DT Randy Starks and adding NT Earl Mitchell, better suited for the 4-3, to replace Paul Soliai keeps the interior trenches fortified. CBs Nolan Carroll and Dimitri Patterson are gone, but CB Brent Grimes was an important keeper pre-free agency, while Louis Delmas (knees) is a $3.5 million injury risk for 2014.
The Dolphins own the 19th pick in the draft and could target OL Zack Martin or a corner.
Patriots: Bill Belichick wasted little time replacing Aqib Talib with someone named Darrelle Revis, then added a big corner in Brandon Browner. So Revis gets Wes Welker, and Browner gets Demaryius Thomas. Revis will remind Belichick of Ty Law. ILB Brandon Spikes (Bills) was a one-dimensional run-stuffer. Tom Brady was thrilled when WR Julian Edelman, who is more Welkeresque than Danny Amendola, re-signed Saturday.
The Patriots own the 29th pick in the draft and will need a replacement for NT Vince Wilfork, and since TE Aaron Hernandez isn’t returning anytime soon, another tight end. The Hoodie is in a prime spot to trade out of the first round to a quarterback-desperate team.
Bills: They opted not to re-sign safety Jarius Byrd (Saints, $9 mil per), and that leaves a big hole. But new LG Chris Williams will start, and nasty new MLB Spikes means tackling machine Kiko Alonso moves to the weak side with ex-Giant Rivers on the strongside. Re-signing TE Scott Chandler was imperative. CB Corey Graham is a special teams stud. Anthony Dixon can be the short-yardage back. Veteran kicker Dan Carpenter resurrected his career and was resigned.
The Bills own the ninth pick of the draft and should target an OL corner or big receiver like Mike Evans.
Jets: GM John Idzik did the right thing passing on Revis. Too many holes to fill. And he is doing the right thing building via the draft. OT Brent Giacomini replacing Austin Howard (Raiders, five/$30 mil) is a wash, at least until I finish comparing pancake block totals for each. But Breno (four/$18 mil) blocking for Geno is a cheaper proposition. WR Eric Decker (five/$36.25 mil) is an expensive No. 2 receiver, but Keyshawn Johnson isn’t leaving ESPN. Jessie James Decker will be a Page Six fixture. CB Dominique-Rodgers Cromartie sure would help opposite Dee Milliner. So would the other Cromartie, at this point. Nick the Folk hero (four/$12 mil) returns! CB Isaiah Trufant is a small loss. No Vlad Ducasse jokes, please. Santonio Holmes is addition by subtraction.
The Jets own the 18th pick of the draft and may be targeting dynamic WR Brandin Cooks.