Low-Key 2013 NFL Offseason Signings That Could Pay Off Big
By Loot, NFL Handicapper, Lootmeister.com
During the entire NFL offseason, we heard about the key offseason signings throughout the league. It seems like the top signings get such a huge lion’s share of the publicity that it’s easy for other less-glamorous acquisitions to slip under the radar. So as we pay mind to the Chiefs getting Alex Smith, the Dolphins getting Mike Wallace, and the Seahawks getting Percy Harvin, let’s not forget to acknowledge some other player moves that could make an impact.
TE Brandon Myers (New York Giants): It’s hard to think of a player coming off a 79-catch season with less publicity than Myers. Maybe because it happened with the Raiders, who were going nowhere last season. He really blossomed in 2012, after toiling on a Raiders squad for 3 years with only 31 receptions. The big tight end now finds himself a member of the illustrious Giants pass catchers, featuring Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks. Playing amongst guys like that might mean he gets less looks, but he should also have an easier time getting open.
RB Rashard Mendenhall (Arizona Cardinals): Talk about low-key--outside of Arizona, literally no one is talking this one up. There is reason for that, as Mendenhall’s career in Pittsburgh really went south after a promising beginning. Players have certainly been written off for less. After two productive seasons in 2009 and 2010, he had a rough 2011 and tore his ACL in the final game of the season. Last year, they deactivated him for inconsistent play, before suspending him when he didn’t show up to a game because of his status. Talk about a fall from grace. If any player needed a change of scenery, it was Mendenhall and maybe it’s just what the doctor ordered. He’s still only 26.
LB Paul Kruger (Cleveland Browns): Playing for a defense in Baltimore with so much name-power, it was easy to overlook Kruger. And with all the big names leaving the defending Super Bowl Champions, Kruger’s departure was almost an afterthought. With all the names on the “D,” it is Kruger who may have the biggest future, just hitting his stride recently and apparently peaking as he enters his first season with the Browns. Look for him to contribute big-time to the Cleveland “D.”
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DL Michael Bennett (Seattle Seahawks): Bennett joins a defense that is far more robust than when he played for Seattle as a rookie in 2009. The Seahawks gave him a chance as an undrafted rookie free agent and even though it didn’t work out, the Seahawks now add the peaking Bennett--coming off his best year in Tampa where he recorded 9 sacks and forced 3 fumbles. Look for Bennett to make some noise on the D-line this season.
LB James Harrison (Cincinnati Bengals): Yeah, he’s 35--a time when NFL linebackers are grinding to a halt or already in retirement. And his last two seasons in Pittsburgh, while he had his share of moments, indicated a player in decline. But he won’t be called upon to be the big dog in this defense. He should provide some good pass rush and if he can just lend a little bit of that contagiously-mean attitude to a defense high on talent and short on having an edge--that alone should make this signing worth it.
TE Martellus Bennett (Chicago Bears): There are times in the past when Bennett looked as if he was about to take a giant step forward in his career. But playing for Dallas and the Giants last season, it hasn’t quite taken shape. Now among the more-deprived pass catching corps of the Chicago Bears, look for Bennett to get some more touches. In his only year with the Giants he had career highs in catches with 55 and yards with 626. Maybe he can do a little better with his new team.
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (Indianapolis Colts): Admittedly, this one is more of a stretch. Despite there being moments of promise, there was a lot not to like about his 4-year tenure with the Raiders. Being inconsistent is one thing, but there were times when he appeared to be phoning it in. While permissible in the Oakland Raiders culture, he better not bring that attitude to Indy. The overall 7th pick in the 2009 draft out of Maryland, Heyward-Bey has been a major letdown. But the guy can still burn and gives Indy a nice little option. It wouldn’t be too surprising to see Heyward-Bey make a step forward this season as a handy little weapon for Andrew Luck and the Colts offense.
