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With the NFL Draft comes clear winners, losers and many picks that sparked debate.
Several teams made significant strides over draft weekend, with three standing out for the improvements they made to their rosters. During Monday’s episode of “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd highlighted the three teams he believes have improved the most this offseason.
With the draft now in the rearview mirror, these franchises appear to have positioned themselves as some of the offseason’s biggest winners heading into next season.
New York Giants
The Giants have had a solid offseason and remain active in free agency and the NFL Draft. But the biggest splash of the offseason might have been the hiring of former Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh. Cowherd certainly seems to think so.
“I made a huge improvement as a head coach under John Harbaugh,” Cowherd said. “I get non-premium positions, but Isaiah Likely and Tremaine Edmunds are necessary positions for the Giants. Two starters in free agency that I think will stand out, then I thought their first four picks were incredible.”
Cowherd also highlighted the value the Giants found throughout the draft, especially with players he believes can make an immediate impact.
“That’s a different team,” Cowherd said. “That’s a losing organization and I see a major improvement in leadership, production from guys already in the league and three, potentially four starters.”
If those additions develop the way Cowherd hopes, the Giants could quickly go from one of the league’s most disappointing teams to a legitimate playoff contender. After years of inconsistency, they finally seem to have a clear foundation to build on.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders had one of the most intriguing offseasons in the league despite not making many big moves in free agency. One of his biggest additions to the coaching staff was the hiring of former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to be his next head coach.
“The Raiders go from an old defensive coach who felt a little out of his generation to a young, smart and highly respected offensive coach in Klint Kubiak,” Cowherd said. “They got the best free agent contract for me all offseason in Tyler Lindenbaum with a rookie quarterback.”
Cowherd believes those additions, combined with the talent already on the roster, could quickly change the direction of the franchise heading into next season.
“Remember the Raiders are not like the Jets,” Cowherd said. “The Raiders have really good players at top positions like Max Crosby, Kolton Miller, a running back [Ashton Jeanty]tight end [Brock Bowers] and they have an All-Pro center.”
If Kubiak can maximize the talent he already has, the Raiders could be one of the biggest surprise teams in the AFC next season. After years of instability, Las Vegas finally appears to have a clearer identity and a foundation built to compete in the long term.
Kansas City Chiefs
After losing quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a season-ending knee injury late last season, the organization struggled overall and ultimately missed the playoffs. Faced with salary cap constraints, they also traded cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Cowherd outlined four key needs the Chiefs had to address amid all the adversity and believes head coach Andy Reid checked each of those boxes.
“They got the best running back in free agency, Kenneth Walker,” Cowherd said. The best cornerback in the draft is Mansoor Delane. Put [Clemson defensive lineman] “Peter Woods of Clemson in the draft a year ago and would have been a top 10 pick.”
Cowherd was also a fan of the Chiefs’ selection of Oklahoma running back R Mason Thomas.
“R Mason is kind of a Rueben Bain from later in the draft,” Cowherd said, comparing Thomas to a top-15 pick. “It’s not very measurable, but if you watched Oklahoma play this year, he’s like Rueben Bain.”
If those additions hit their ceiling, the Chiefs could quickly rebound from a turbulent year and reestablish themselves as one of the AFC’s top contenders. In Cowherd’s view, the team didn’t just fill in the gaps; They may have quietly reestablished the foundation of the roster.
