20. Pittsburgh Steelers
Why do we have the Pittsburgh Steelers this high? Wow, that’s a great question. I guess at this point, everybody is just assuming that new head coach Mike McCarthy is going to be able to bring Aaron Rodgers back after all the offseason theatrics are overwith. The Brett Favre parallels just won’t stop, will they? The Steelers still have a solid team, and adding Michael Pittman Jr. for next to nothing is interesting. I’m still not sold on them at all, and they could realistically be lower than this. Ask me again next week.
19. Carolina Panthers
This feels so low for the Carolina Panthers, but the injury to Ikem Ekwonu at left tackle as well as the uncertainty over whether or not Bryce Young is going to be able to take that next step as a player loom large for an otherwise really improved team. Picking up Devin Lloyd and Jaelan Phillips for a defense that already improved a lot last year is how you “win” free agency. I also love the insurance pickup of Rasheed Walker at the tackle position on a short-term deal.
18. Minnesota Vikings
The foregone conclusion of Kyler Murray joining the Minnesota Vikings has now become a reality, and I actually really love the move. We saw how good Kyler Murray could be when DeAndre Hopkins was still in his prime, and he had a weapon on the outside he could trust when he went into backyard mode. We’ll see if being around Kevin O’Connell can get Murray to another big-money contract next offseason, but you have to like his chances. The elephant in the room: What is up next for JJ McCarthy?
17. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have had a solid offseason already, bringing in Rashan Gary via (another) trade with the Packers, and getting some other key pieces for their new-look defense. Jalen Thompson and Cobie Durant will add some needed experience to the secondary, and now the draft looms large. The Cowboys are back on the board in round 3 with the Osa Odighizuwa trade to the 49ers, so they’ve got three darts on the first two days, including two first-round picks.