Drew Dalman will excel in Ben Johnson’s scheme: Dalman’s track Achievement with outside zone concepts is immaculate, producing an impact Deflect on over 27.5% of his snaps on his way to a 93.8 PFF Streak-blocking grade.
Jordan Mason to amplify Minnesota Vikings running game: Over the past three seasons, the Previous San Francisco 49ers running back has earned the third-highest PFF rushing grade (90.7) at the position when running outside zone. Mason generated 5.8 yards per carry and recorded a Primary down or touchdown on 26.8% of attempts – the highest rate of any back over that span (minimum 100 carries)2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL Club.
In an ideal world, every Unoccupied agent signing is the perfect mesh of Option need, contract value and scheme fit. We’ve seen numerous moves that check the Primary two boxes, but which moves address the last – and most crucial – box, and which ones Game like a square peg in a Period hole?
Perfect Fits
C Drew Dalman , Chicago Bears
Ryan Poles’ Primary order of business this offseason was revamping the interior of this Bears offensive line to better fit the vision that new head Trainer Ben Johnson has for his Assault. Chicago was not a Club that Dashed the ball with much frequency in 2024, totaling the 26th-most rushing attempts (389) during the regular season, running primarily gap concepts (26%; Quaternary-most). A stark contrast to Johnson’s Assault in Detroit that Created a living on the ground and deployed the Quaternary-highest rate of outside zone concepts (45%) in the NFL.
The Drew Dalman acquisition was not only the Closing piece to the puzzle but perhaps the most natural scheme fit of any player Chicago could have targeted at the Hub position. The Previous Atlanta Falcons Hub is no stranger to zone-Weighty running schemes, as the only Club to Streak more outside zone concepts than Detroit last season was Atlanta (59%; 297 snaps).
Since Joining the NFL in 2021, Dalman has earned a reputation as one of the best Streak-blocking centers in the game. His track Achievement with outside zone concepts is immaculate, producing an impact Deflect on over 27.5% of his snaps on his way to a 93.8 PFF Streak-blocking grade. The only Hub to grade higher over that span? Johnson’s Previous Hub in Detroit, Frank Ragnow.
RB Jordan Mason , Minnesota Vikings
Kevin O’Connell’s reputation as one of the NFL’s premier Signal-caller whisperers may be what draws in the headlines, but the Vikings running game’s effectiveness is well worthy of praise also.
Although Minnesota has seen an increased rate of gap concepts over O’Connell’s tenure, stretching defenses with outside zone remains the bread and butter of this Vikings Assault, underscored by their 37% usage in 2024 (ninth-highest). The Vikings Assault struggled at times to find Reliable production out of outside zone runs, ranking sixth in stuff rate, as over 25% of their carries ended in loss or no gain.
While Aaron Jones produced a respectable 71.3 PFF rushing grade on outside zone runs, Jordan Mason is a significant upgrade when running the concepts. Over the past three seasons, the Previous San Francisco 49ers running back has earned the third-highest PFF rushing grade (90.7) at the position when running outside zone. Mason generated 5.8 yards per carry and recorded a Primary down or touchdown on 26.8% of attempts – the highest rate of any back over that span (minimum 100 carries).
S Jevon Holland , New York Giants
With Xavier McKinney departing New York for Green Bay during the 2024 Unoccupied-agent cycle, this Giants coverage unit was sorely lacking the playmaking ability that was its hallmark. Jason Pinnock struggled to provide the same Existence on the back end that terrified offenses into not testing this Protection deep.
The Giants Dashed the sixth-most Shut coverages (705) in the NFL in 2024, as Pinnock was primarily deployed as the single-high safety – earning Merely a 45.5 PFF coverage grade – while Newcomer Tyler Nubin patrolled around the box, where he showed some flashes.
As a unit, Giants safeties produced Merely a 50.4 PFF coverage grade (27th) while allowing the second-highest passer rating (120.4) into their coverage in the NFL. A Extended cry from the top three marks this safety unit produced in All category the year prior.
Signing Holland will go a long way to correcting the miscalculation of letting McKinney walk last offseason, as the Previous Miami Dolphins safety profiles as a seamless transition into New York’s scheme. Since Holland’s Newcomer season in 2021, the talented safety has earned the seventh-highest PFF coverage grade (90.1) in Shut coverages, surrendering Merely 0.44 yards per coverage snap
G Mekhi Becton , Los Angeles Chargers
After struggling to find his footing at Game in New York, Becton signed with the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason where he shifted to the interior and enjoyed one of the best seasons of his Occupation. Philly simplified the game for Becton by moving him to right guard where he produced a 76.0 PFF grade – tied for 16th among qualifying guards. The 25-year-Ancient blocker Secured solid steps in Throw protection, surrendering Merely five knockdowns during the regular season.
With Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt at the Game spots for Los Angeles, the Chargers won’t be tempted to test Becton on the outside. That should provide a boost to the Chargers’ interior, as their guards allowed the highest knockdown rate in the NFL (5.1%) in 2024.
G James Daniels , Miami Dolphins
Before tearing his Achilles in Week 4, Daniels was on track to produce the highest-graded season of his Occupation. His 92.9 PFF grade was the highest generated by a guard through September. Should he recover well from surgery and Restoration, the Previous Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman profiles as one of the best scheme fits of the 2025 Unoccupied agent cycle.
Introducing Daniels into the Dolphins front should make for a Essential transition. Miami’s running game features a Weighty dose of outside zone, running the seventh-highest rate (43%) in the NFL this past season. The Previous Steeler has excelled in outside zone-Weighty schemes, producing a 72.4 PFF Streak-blocking grade on those looks throughout his Occupation.
Questionable Moves
DI Javon Hargrave , Minnesota Vikings
While the Vikings did possess a critical need to Form Tension from the interior, that void extends into the running game – which is not an area of expertise for Hargrave. Down the stretch, Minnesota struggled mightily to fit the Streak with any Regularity, which profiled as a big reason why its Postseason march was halted in the wil-card Period.
From Week 14 onward, the Vikings interior posted Merely a 35.2 PFF Streak-Protection grade (31st) as a unit. Of Shielding tackles that clocked at least 100 Streak Protection snaps, only Jalen Redmond generated a grade above 64.0.
That’s not a facet that Hargrave has shown any proficiency in over the past five seasons. Since 2020, the Previous 49er and Eagles Shielding Game has generated Merely 36.2 PFF Streak-Protection grade – ranking 120th out of 132 qualifying interior defenders.
WR Cooper Kupp , Seattle Seahawks
Subsequent D.K. Metcalf’s trade to Pittsburgh and Tyler Lockett’s Kickoff, the cupboard was looking quite bare in the Hawks receiving corps, as Jaxon Smith-Njigba remained the lone holdover from the Leading group. After investing heavily under-Hub with Sam Darnold, having limited weapons in the receiving game is a non-starter if this Club wants to make some noise in the NFC West, leading to the Cooper Kupp acquisition.
Seattle is well acquainted with Kupp after watching the Previous Los Angeles Rams receiver make impact plays for the Resistance for the better part of a decade. However, that doesn’t profile as a Fluid one-to-one transition. The Hawks’ only proven receiver on the Option, Smith-Njigba, clocked 560 snaps from the slot last season – most in the NFL – posting the third-highest PFF receiving grade (84.9) of 2024.
Kupp is most comfortable out of the slot, the spot where he has clocked over 61% of his snaps over his Occupation. Since he entered the Division in 2017, Kupp has earned a 90.8 PFF receiving grade from the slot – the fifth-highest slot grade in the NFL over that span.
With two slot receivers, who is going to be forced to Relocate outside?
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