The conclusion of the 2022 draft closed another chapter of the NFL offseason. After the initial free-agency frenzy slowed down, veterans opted to see how the draft played out before signing their own deals. This time frame we're in now is the final wave of free agency before preseason cuts at the end of summer.
Now is the perfect time for Super Bowl contenders to make a move. Rosters are mostly set, so we have a clear picture of team needs and the salary-cap situation. Waiting to shore up the roster could be problematic if the contender doesn't have adequate depth to withstand an injury.
We've identified one move that each of DraftKings' top seven Super Bowl favorites can make to push them over the top in 2022. Each of these teams has just enough of a need at one or two spots to justify a move. However, most contenders face salary-cap limitations, so trading for a star isn't feasible.
Let's dive into a realistic move the top seven teams can make and break down why it could push the contender toward a Super Bowl ring.
Buffalo Bills: Sign CB Joe Haden
The Super Bowl favorites have close to a bulletproof roster. General manager Brandon Beane has done an excellent job acquiring talent on both sides of the ball. Head coach Sean McDermott and his staff have also done well to develop the young talent into impactful starters.
The biggest concern on the roster is the lack of proven boundary cornerback depth. Slot specialists Taron Johnson and Siran Neal have that role locked down, but the outside spot is a different situation. Tre'Davious White is coming off a torn ACL, and expecting 2022 first-round pick Kaiir Elam to be ready for stardom in his first year is unrealistic.
Adding a veteran who can bring versatility, composure and some ball-production upside would be ideal, and former Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers star Joe Haden is perfect for Buffalo's needs.
The 33-year-old Haden is coming off a successful five-year tenure with Pittsburgh. However, he missed five games with a foot injury and failed to grab an interception for only the third season in his career last year. Still, a rotational role with Buffalo could prolong his career.
Haden is physical in run support and has thrived in Cover-2 and Cover 4-based schemes throughout his career. Buffalo varies its looks at the fourth-highest rate but provides plenty of help to its cornerbacks with two elite safeties. Pittsburgh had Minkah Fitzpatrick to help protect Haden on deep routes but had an otherwise lackluster secondary.
He may not start when White is back at his full capacity, but Haden provides much better depth than 2022 sixth-round pick Christian Benford.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Re-Sign DT Ndamukong Suh
There's a unique balance of roster-building strategies whenever a team is in win-now mode. Because Tom Brady returned to the Buccaneers after announcing his retirement, Tampa Bay has to continue plugging holes with capable veterans or have strong faith in recent draft picks. The two roster spots lacking great depth after recent departures are tight end and defensive tackle. We've yet to see whether Brady's favorite target, Rob Gronkowski, will be back or retire. The other key loss this offseason was tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Suh has enjoyed a long and productive career. At 35 years old and with a Super Bowl ring to his credit, his greatest motivation to play at this point might be for the love of the game. According to 247Sports' Brad Stainbrook, Super Bowl contenders such as the Bucs, Raiders and Browns are interested in Suh.
Returning to the Bucs makes a ton of sense, as he'd re-enter a role that has led to 14.5 sacks and 112 tackles over the last three years. Tampa could also offer him less of a workload than in past years since it drafted Logan Hall in the second round of the 2022 draft.