Thanks to a $10 million increase in the NFL salary cap, teams had much more cash to spend this offseason than previously anticipated. That jump induced a league-wide spending spree, with teams splashing their cash on this year’s crop of free agents.
Not surprisingly, this busy offseason has had a dramatic impact on various teams’ 2015 Superbowl odds, as some have benefited from the flurry of transactions, and others have only seen their chances of winning this season diminish. Below, we look at three big names that definitely boosted their teams’ odds of playing in Glendale next February.
Desean Jackson
DeSean Jackson’s shock release from the Philadelphia Eagles could have a tremendous impact in the NFC East this coming season. Not only did the Eagles lose their no. 1 receiver last season (82 catches for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns in 2013), they now get to face him twice a year after he signed a three-year, $24 million contract with the Washington Redskins.
In Jackson, Robert Griffin III gains an explosive receiving weapon opposite Pierre Garcon that could ignite the Redskins offense.
DeMarcus Ware
The Denver Broncos picked up a valuable weapon of their own to support their bid to return to the Super Bowl by signing pass rusher DeMarcus Ware to a three-year, $30 million deal. Despite recording a career-low six sacks last season, a healthy Ware can be a perfect complement to Von Miller in the pass rush.
The Cowboys, on the other hand, won’t easily replace the loss of a defensive stalwart, and seem doomed to spend their 2014 season regretting the way they’ve managed their salary cap.
Darrelle Revis
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers figure to be much improved next season with the hiring of Lovie Smith. Unfortunately, Smith will have to recreate the great defense he built in Chicago without cornerback extraordinaire Darrelle Revis, who jumped ship to the New England Patriots on a two-year, $32 million deal.
Revis Island (two INTs in 16 games for Tampa Bay in 2013) should vastly improve what was the Pats’ worst unit last season.