The sports world has felt the impact of coronavirus. One thing sports fans have been able to put their attention on is the start of the NFL’s new calendar year which began a couple weeks ago. The NFL has made adjustments for being able to start on time such as not being able to meet with free agents in person. Another change the NFL made was to move the draft online. The 2020 NFL draft is this week from Thursday, April 23rd, through Saturday, April 25. With the college draft approaching there will be much change for each team, in addition to the moves already made this offseason.
Here are some of the biggest moves made so far,there has been no bigger news than six time super bowl champion Tom Brady leaving the only team he has ever played for in the New England Patriots. He will play his next game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a move many had speculated, but truly is something we had to see to believe and even as the deal is finalized it is still difficult to process that Brady will no longer be playing his home games in front of the Foxburgo faithful. Another aged forty plus former Super Bowl champ Drew Brees re-signed with the New Orleans Saints on a two year deal. Veteran QB Philip Rivers left the only team he has ever played for in the Chargers and signed a deal with the Indianapolis Colts. It should be noted the last time the Charger let a QB go was prior mentioned Drew Brees who then won the Super Bowl. Other Quarterback news in former league MVP Cam Newton was cut by the only team he has ever known in the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers signed Teddy Bridgewater to a three year contract. Bridgewater will be playing against his former team next season, at least twice as he was the backup QB for the New Orleans Saints where he played for a couple seasons as the backup to Drew Brees. Bridgewater will look to become a starting QB for the first time since overcoming a horrific leg injury when he played for the VIkings. Bridgewater was 5-0 in games he started on back-up duty when Brees broke his hand last season. The Los Angeles Chargers who were in the hunt to sign Tom Brady, although missing out on him they added some key pieces in Offensive lineman Bryan Buluga and Cornerback Chris Harris Jr.
Some other big news in the NFL were via trade. There was no bigger superstar on the move this offseason, than All-Pro receiver Deandre Hopkins, he will be leaving the Huston Texnans to go play for the Arizona Cardinals where he will pair up with second year QB Kyler Murray. Perhaps, Hopkins could be the receiver that gets the torch passed on from the team’s legendary wide receiver, ageless wonder Larry Fitzgerald. FItzgerald, will be back this year to play with Hoopkins as he agreed to a deal to return to the Cardinals this year for his 17th season. Running back David Johnson was a part of the trade and he will be heading to the Texans to play this season. The Texans also signed WR Randal Cobb who played for the Cowboys last season. While on the subject of receivers and the Cowboys they re-signed their top wideout Amari Cooper to a five year deal. In other wide receiver news the Minessota Vikings dealt star receiver Staffon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills a couple days after signing their QB Kirk Cousins to an extension. Diggs has openly criticized Cousins in the past and this could have been the breaking point of the relationship between the team and Diggs.
Nick Foles will be another Quarterback playing for a new team next season. Foles played a big part in preventing the prior mentioned Tom Brady from having another Super Bowl ring, when his then team the Philadelphia Eagles defeated Brady’s then team the Patriots. QB Nick Foles was named Super Bowl MVP of that classic 2018 Super Bowl. Foles has since been traded to Jacksonville and then this offseasons from Jacksonville to the Chicago Bears. Another big factor in that lone, glorious Super Bowl victory for the Eagles was safety and two time super bowl champ, Malcolm Jenkins. Jenkins who will be leaving the eagles, for the team he won his first super bowl with in his rookie campaign the New Orleans Saints, who inked him to a four year deal. With Jenkins departed, the Eagles got some secondary help by trading for Darrius Slay. Slay, who previously played for the Detroit lions, had a deteriorated relationship with head coach Matt Patrica. The Lions signed recently released corner Desmond Trufont to replace him after the Atlanta Falcons cut him. Star running back Devonta Freeman was also cut by Atanta but unlike Trufant he has yet to sign with a new team. The new starting running back for Atlanta and former offensive player of the year Todd Gurley. Gurley was like Freeman cut by his old team the LA Rams. Although unlike Freeman, Gurley quickly re-signed with the Falcons where he will be returning to his home state to play next season. The LA Chargers did not re-sign RB Melvin Gordom who missed four games this year due to a contract holdout, he elected to sign with the division foe, the Denver Broncos.The Cleveland Browns made some moves in signing QB Case Keenun to a three year pact and made Tight End Austin Hooper the highest paid TE in the NFL. Staying in the division the Pittsburgh Steelers signed former first round pick TE Eric Ebron to a deal.