The 2019 NFL offseason: the gift that keeps on giving. Year after year there are some relevant signings or trades happening, but in this 2019 offseason in particular, some of the biggest names in football have found new homes.
The arguably crumbling Steelers have headlined the NFL for a while now. Between WR Antonio Brown and RB Le’Veon Bell reportedly wanting out of Pittsburgh, the NFL universe had been keeping a close eye on what was to come out of this situation. Sure enough, Antonio Brown seemed to force his way out of the organization in an apparent trade to the Bills. The media chaotically swirled around this news, only to find out that the trade had fallen through, adding to the drama. A couple days later, he was traded off to the Oakland Raiders, a preferred destination of Brown, leaving fans stunned that he was able to force a trade like this. Not too much later, Bell, one of the best running backs in the league who had held out for the entirety of the 2018-19 season, finally broke his silence. He announced that he would be signing with the New York Jets, providing them with their running back of the future.
“The Steelers have been a mess all year. Being a Ravens fan, hopefully we can capitalize on our rival’s downfall,” senior Dermot O’Kelly said.
Another shock of this offseason was when the Eagles, a team with a pair of top tier quarterbacks, decided to keep Carson Wentz over Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles. Foles, who has stepped in the wake of Wentz’s frequent injuries, never missed a beat. He was a great leader and playoff performer for the Eagles. The Jaguars, in desperate need for a quarterback, released former 3rd overall pick Blake Bortles, and jumped on the opportunity to snag Foles and make him their franchise quarterback.
The madness didn’t stop there. Odell Beckham, a top tier wide receiver for the Giants and one of the most well known names in the NFL, was having issues with the Giants franchise. Beckham was famous for throwing fits on the sideline, to which the Giants head office members publicly scrutinized. Clearly, there was tension there, but many thought that the Giants would work through it to keep their stud who they had just signed to a big contract just the year before. However, the news finally broke one day: Odell Beckham was headed to the new-look Cleveland Browns to team up with his best friend and college teammate Jarvis Landry. This trade broke the internet and dug the Browns out of trenches of the NFL in a matter of hours.
“I think Odell Beckham is the best wide receiver in the NFL. He shouldn’t have a problem making an impact on the Browns,” senior and Giants fan Ramez Crump said.
This offseason hasn’t only been surrounded by trades and signings though. The draft has been a huge storyline as well. Between the Cardinals possibly drafting quarterback Kyler Murray a year after drafting quarterback Josh Rosen, the rise of talents such as D.J. Metcalf and Montez Sweat, and the Raiders having three first round picks, NFL fans are wondering how it will all pan out later this April. offseason hasn’t been short of franchise changing stories. With all these huge signings,trades and draft implications, it’s anyone’s guess how the NFL will play out next season.
