NFL Free Agency 2020: Grades for every team after first wave

After placing the franchise tag on Bud Dupree, there were few options that the Steelers realistically had in free agency as they simply didn’t have the money to operate. Thus, it hurts that they lost players such as Javon Hargrave on the open market, a player who had been a stud in Pittsburgh.

Given their constraints, however, it’s been a solid offseason for Pittsburgh. They were able to wait it out and get Eric Ebron in a lacking tight end room on a modest deal, which should help the offense, while also somewhat replacing Hargrave in acquiring Chris Wormley via a trade with the Ravens in which they gave up only a 2021 fifth-rounder.

For a team that, with a healthy quarterback, is easily a playoff team, the Steelers have been unspectacular but good enough to be slighlty above average in their grade.

Entering 2020 NFL free agency, we knew that the San Francisco 49ers weren’t going to be the biggest players given limited salary cap space. However, they’ve made more noise than some expected, most notably re-signing Arik Armstead to a five-year, $85 million deal, retaining Jimmie Ward and even adding Travis Benjamin. Oh yeah, they also traded DeForest Buckner to the Colts for a first-round pick.

Trading a player of Buckner’s caliber while retaining Armstead is somewhat curious. Buckner has been the more consistent and, frankly, better player of the two. However, given that the 49ers had a first-round pick and then wouldn’t be on the clock again until Round 5, they needed draft capital, so leveraging Buckner into that is smart. How the draft plays out, in truth, could affect their grade but, overall, it’s been solid and creative work by the defending NFC champions.