Taking stock
by Peter King, Sports Illustrated



As NFL general managers and players head off to vacation, it's time to take stock in the best and worst of the league's offseason performances. Here are the teams I rate as having done the most to improve themselves in the past five months:

1. St. Louis: There was nowhere to go but up for the defense that allowed the most points in the league last fall, and that's where the Rams went. They should have new and improved starters at eight defensive positions come September, led by veteran cornerback Aeneas Williams, who still has at least two good cover-corner years left, and tough-guy safeties Kim Herring -- who started in the Super Bowl for the Ravens -- and first-round pick Adam Archuleta.

2. Denver: I just love the signing of Steve Beuerlein for the measly cap figure of $1 million. Beuerlein has thrown for more yards over the past two years than has Brett Favre. And the Broncos have signed an incredible 26 free agents. Underrated corner Denard Walker, a Tennessee import, will be an impact player. Mike Shanahan is the best guy in the league at tinkering with a good roster and making it better, year in and year out.

3. Baltimore: I like an organization that succeeds, then looks at its weaknesses and tries to fix them. The Ravens often won in spite of their offense last year (they went touchdown-less in October), so now they've added three crucial parts: Elvis Grbac, a significant improvement over Trent Dilfer at quarterback; former Jacksonville tackle Leon Searcy, an upgrade over Harry Swayne; and first-round pick Todd Heap, who'll gradually take over for the aging Shannon Sharpe at tight end.

4. Philadelphia: Free-agent pass-rusher N.D. Kalu should be more of a consistent threat than the retired Mike Mamula was, and for less than million that's a bargain in today's football. First-round wideout Freddie Mitchell has the best hands of any receiver drafted. What I really like, though, is the Eagles leaving themselves with million in cap room this year and at least million in 2002. They'll be a factor in free agency for the next 12 months -- and will be able to sign their own, rising players too.

5. Cleveland: Nice marks to Butch Davis in his first few months on the job. He'll love coaching Dwayne Rudd, the former Vikings linebacker who's a great sideline-to-sideline player. Defensive tackle Gerard Warren will be an impact rookie. Tre' Johnson, assuming he'll come back gradually from his knee injuries, should be one of the league's best free-agent bargains.


That's the best of the bunch. Now for the teams that tanked the offseason:

1. Indianapolis: I have one thing in common with Peyton Manning: We both kept waiting for a pedestrian defense, 21st in the NFL last fall, to do something major to help itself. What did we see? Christian Peter as the top free-agent import. A wideout drafted in the first round. No bookend pass-rusher to help Chad Bratzke. Warm up that arm, Peyton. You'll have to throw for 4,500 yards to outscore everyone this year.

2. Miami: Ray Lucas is a good challenger for Jay Fiedler. But the failure to get Matt Hasselbeck and then gain no significant help for the offense will hurt the Dolphins. And last time I checked, Miami had two of the game's best young corners, Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain. So a corner in the first round? In today's football, where windows of opportunity are short, you don't draft into your strength.

3. San Diego: I like Marcellus Wiley to bolster the pass rush, and I like the value of Drew Brees as a second-round quarterback. But I believe long-term this franchise will regret passing on Michael Vick. And I believe a smart personnel man, new GM John Butler, vastly overpaid for corners Ryan McNeil and Alex Molden. They could have been had for a song at various points of the past three years and they were handed .6 million between them in bonuses and guarantees this year alone.

4. Jacksonville: Though the Jags staved off internal dissension by re-signing Mark Brunell, they might be a shell of their old selves, still with massive salary-cap problems. When Sean Dawkins is your top veteran acquisition as talent walks out the door in free agency, you're in very big trouble.

5. Kansas City: I like the trade for quarterback Trent Green, but all he'll do, even at his peak, is be as good as the guy who left, Elvis Grbac, who threw for 4,169 yards last year. Pet peeve: For a team in huge cap trouble to spend $1 million in a signing bonus on a punter is ridiculous. Dan Stryzinski is 35 and was 18th in the NFL in gross average last year. Help me figure that one out.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King covers the NFL beat for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.