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The NFL Draft has winners, losers and plenty of picks that have sparked debate.
Several teams made major strides during the draft weekend, with three standing out for roster improvements. During Monday’s episode of “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd highlighted the three teams he believes have improved the most this offseason.
With the draft now in the rearview mirror, these franchises appear to have positioned themselves as some of the biggest offseason winners heading into next season.
New York Giants
The Giants had a good offseason, remaining active in free agency and the NFL Draft. But the biggest hit of the offseason might have been the hiring of former Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh. Cowherd certainly seems to think so.
“I’m getting a huge improvement as a head coach with John Harbaugh,” Cowherd said. “I’m getting non-premium positions, but Isaiah Likely and Tremaine Edmunds are positions of need for the Giants. Two starters in free agency who I think will excel, so I thought their first four picks were incredible.”
Cowherd also highlighted the value the Giants found throughout the draft, especially with players he believes can make an immediate impact.
“It’s a different team,” Cowherd said. “It’s a losing organization and I see major improvement in terms of leadership, production from guys already in the league and three, potentially four starters.”
If these additions develop as Cowherd expects, the Giants could quickly go from one of the league’s most disappointing teams to a legitimate playoff contender. After years of inconsistency, they finally seem to have a clear foundation on which to build.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders had one of the most intriguing offseasons in the league, even though they didn’t make many major moves in free agency. One of their biggest additions to the coaching staff was the hiring of former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their next head coach.
“The Raiders are going from an old defensive coach who felt a little out of his generation to a smart, well-respected young offensive coach in Klint Kubiak,” Cowherd said. “They signed the best free agent of the entire offseason, Tyler Lindenbaum, along with a rookie quarterback.”
Cowherd believes these additions, combined with the talent already on the roster, could quickly change the direction of the franchise heading into next season.
“Remember, the Raiders are not like the Jets,” Cowherd said. “The Raiders have some really good players playing prominent positions, namely Max Crosby, Kolton Miller, a running back [Ashton Jeanty]tight end [Brock Bowers] and they have an All-Pro center.
If Kubiak can maximize the talent already in place, the Raiders could be one of the biggest surprise teams in the AFC next season. After years of instability, Las Vegas finally seems to have a clearer identity and solid foundations to compete in the long term.
Kansas City Chiefs
After losing quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a knee injury that ended last season, the organization struggled overall and ultimately missed the playoffs. Faced with salary cap constraints, they also traded cornerback Trent McDuffie.
Cowherd highlighted four key needs that the Chiefs have had to address despite all the adversity and he believes head coach Andy Reid has checked each of those boxes.
“They have the best running back in free agency, Kenneth Walker,” Cowherd said. The best cornerback in the draft is Mansoor Delane. Put [Clemson defensive lineman] Clemson’s Peter Woods in the draft a year ago and he would have been a top 10 pick. »
Cowherd was also a fan of the Chiefs’ selection of Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas.
“R Mason is kind of the Rueben Bain of later in the draft,” Cowherd said, comparing Thomas to a top-15 pick. “It’s not very measurable, but if you watched Oklahoma play this year, he’s like Rueben Bain.”
If these additions hit their ceiling, the Chiefs could quickly bounce back from a turbulent year and re-establish themselves as one of the top contenders in the AFC. In Cowherd’s view, the team didn’t just fill in the holes; they may have quietly reset the foundations of the roster.
