NHL off-season changes abound

Not all of the action of the National Football League happens during the regular season. Player, coach and draft pick choices being picked up, dropped and traded indicate differences in teams’ chemistry that might change the very fabric of the league. This past offseason, many changes occurred that may potentially have profound changes in the world of the NFL. Here’s a quick update.

The Giants fired Head Coach Tom Coughlin, who held the position since 2004. In the time since his inauguration, he’s led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories, though in that time, the team has had only four seasons of over 10 wins. Ben McAdoo took the place of the legendary coach.

Many large NFL names left the league. Marshawn Lynch retired after nine seasons running the football. At 30 years old and after injuries causing him to miss nine games in the 2015 season, he decided to call it a career. Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, drafted in the same year as Lynch, also called it quits. Long regarded as the best receiver in the league, and possibly in history, Johnson recorded over 11,000 yards in his career and left an ailing Lions team. Charles Woodson brought his 18-year career to an end the same year as fellow draftee Peyton Manning. Both were considered among the best in history, and all four of the retiring players will likely find their way into the Hall of Fame in five years.

With the departure of Manning, it was assumed that Brock Osweiler would take the mantle of a strong Denver team. However, $72 million in contract funds later, Osweiler found his way to the Houston Texans. With Osweiler’s departure as well, the Broncos find themselves with only Mark Sanchez to start next season. The Dolphins also made a lot of changes. The Dolphins sent the No. 8 overall pick over to the Eagles for the No. 13 overall pick, Linebacker Kiko Alonso and Defensive Back Byron Maxwell. The Eagles freed up millions in cap space, while the Dolphins added two solid picks to their defensive roster. And with the departure of Oliver Vernon, the Dolphins also signed Mario Williams.

The Rams returned from St. Louis to Los Angeles and then traded a bunch of picks to acquire the number one overall pick in the 2016 draft. With this pick, they’re likely to take University of California Quarterback Jared Goff. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles traded a bevy of their picks to the Cleveland Browns, who released Johnny Manziel, for the number two overall pick, with the likelihood of taking Carson Wentz, the Quarterback from North Dakota State.

Big name players such as Arian Foster, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Chris Long still remain unsigned to a team. Josh Norman was just signed by the Washington Redskins after being unable to come to an agreement with the Carolina Panthers. Josh Gordon is still smoking marijuana, though the NFL has been continually bringing the hammer of punishment down. Trent Richardson, a failed running back in the past, signed with the Baltimore Ravens, dropped 22 pounds and looks ready for the season. Speaking of weight loss, after a series of statements about his weight and his failure to perform where he should, Greenbay Packers Runningback Eddie Lacy seems to have shed some weight during the offseason as well.