NFL Off-Season Guide #5

It's officially the off-season in the NFL, so in order to keep everyone up-to-date on all the transactions going on in the league, I present to you.....the Ultimate Football Blog's NFL Off-Season Guide! We may not have any big impact free agents signed yet, but we have a lot of decent players getting cut this week as teams look to cut down on their salary cap number heading into free agency.

Before we begin, just a few quick notes:

-NFL free agency doesn't start until March 10th, so teams that are signing guys at the moment are usually signing guys that they plan on bringing in for training camp and other small purposes only. These guys are not currently under contract in any way with another NFL team, so they are able to sign wherever they wish. Once March 10th hits, that's when this column will really become important and stacked.

-"2014 playing grade" is pretty self-explanatory. It's the grade I'm personally giving the player based entirely on what they did on-the-field last season. Get it? Got it? Good.

2015 NFL Off-Season Guide

#5

Arizona Cardinals

-No transactions this week

Atlanta Falcons

-Re-signed LB Nate Stupar to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: C)

-Re-signed S Charles Godfrey to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: F)

Baltimore Ravens

-Waived CB Victor Hampton (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

Buffalo Bills

-Traded LB Kiko Alonso to the Philadelphia Eagles (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Picked up RB LeSean McCoy in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles (2014 playing grade: C-)

Carolina Panthers

-Signed free agent OT Michael Oher (2014 playing grade: F)

-Re-signed OT Colin Cole to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D-)

-Re-signed TE Greg Olsen to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: A-)

Chicago Bears

-Re-signed QB Jimmy Clausen to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D+)

-Traded WR Brandon Marshall to the Jets for a fifth-round draft pick (2014 playing grade: B-)

Cincinnati Bengals

-Re-signed LB Rey Maualuga to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: C-)

Cleveland Browns

-Re-signed RB Shaun Draughn to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D)

-Re-signed P Spencer Lanning to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D-)

Dallas Cowboys

-Signed free agent LB Keith Rivers (2014 playing grade: D+)

-Designated WR Dez Bryant with the franchise tag (2014 playing grade: A+)

-Re-signed WR Cole Beasley to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: C)

Denver Broncos

-Designated WR Demaryius Thomas with the franchise tag (2014 playing grade: A-)

-Re-signed OT Paul Cornick to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D+)

-Re-signed OG Chris Garland to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D-)

-Re-signed LB Brandon Marshall to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: A+)

Detroit Lions

-No transactions made this week

Green Bay Packers

-Signed free agent LB Josh Francis (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

Houston Texans

-Terminated contract of OL Chris Myers (2014 playing grade: C+)

Indianapolis Colts

-Signed free agent DE Earl Okine (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Re-signed LS Matt Overton (2014 playing grade: D+)

Jacksonville Jaguars

-Re-signed DE Ryan Davis to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: A)

Kansas City Chiefs

-Terminated contract of LB Joe Mays (2014 playing grade: D+)

-Terminated contract of DT Vance Walker (2014 playing grade: B-)

-Designated LB Justin Houston with the franchise tag (2014 playing grade: A+)

Miami Dolphins

-Terminated contract of CB Cortland Finnegan (2014 playing grade: D)

-Terminated contract of OG Nate Garner (2014 playing grade: D-)

-Designated TE Charles Clay with the transition player tag (2014 playing grade: B-)

-Re-signed OT Jason Fox to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D-)

Minnesota Vikings

-No transactions made this week

New England Patriots

-Re-signed LS Tyler Ott (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Designated K Stephen Gostkowski with the franchise tag (2014 playing grade: B-)

New Orleans Saints

-Terminated contract of RB Pierre Thomas (2014 playing grade: B+)

New York Giants

-Terminated contract of OL J.D. Walton (2014 playing grade: F)

-Designated DE Jason Pierre-Paul with the franchise tag (2014 playing grade: A-)

New York Jets

-Signed free agent DE Ronald Talley (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Re-signed LB David Harris to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: C)

-Traded a fifth-round draft pick to the Bears for WR Brandon Marshall (2014 playing grade: B-)

Oakland Raiders

-Terminated contract of S Tyvon Branch (2014 playing grade: D+)

-Terminated contract of DE LaMarr Woodley (2014 playing grade: D-)

-RB Maurice Jones-Drew announced retirement (2014 playing grade: F)

-Terminated contract of MLB Nick Roach (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Terminated contract of SS Usama Young (2014 playing grade: C)

Philadelphia Eagles

-Signed free agent LB Brad Jones (2014 playing grade: F)

-Terminated contract of CB Cary Williams (2014 playing grade: C)

-Terminated contract of LB Trent Cole (2014 playing grade: B)

-Traded RB LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills (2014 playing grade: C-)

-Picked up LB Kiko Alonso in a trade with the Buffalo Bills (didn't play in the NFL in 2014)

Pittsburgh Steelers

-Terminated contract of WR Lance Moore (2014 playing grade: D)

-Signed free agent QB Tajh Boyd (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

San Diego Chargers

-Terminated contract of LB Reggie Walker (2014 playing grade: F)

-Signed free agent WR Jacoby Jones (2014 playing grade: D+)

San Francisco 49ers

-Signed free agent WR Jerome Simpson (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Signed free agent DE Darnell Dockett (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Signed free agent RB Jarryd Hayne (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

Seattle Seahawks

-Signed free agent LB Mister Alexander (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Waived DT Jesse Williams (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Terminated contract of TE Zach Miller (2014 playing grade: D+)

-Waived OT Garrett Scott (didn't play in NFL in 2014)

-Re-signed RB Marshawn Lynch to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: A+)

-Re-signed DE Greg Scruggs to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D)

St. Louis Rams

-No transactions made this week

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

-Re-signed OL Mike Jenkins to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D)

Tennessee Titans

-Claimed LB Jonathan Massaquoi off of waivers (2014 playing grade: C+)

-Terminated contract of CB Bernard Pollard (2014 playing grade: C-)

Washington Redskins

-Re-signed S Duke Ihenacho to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: D-)

-Re-signed TE Niles Paul to a contract extension (2014 playing grade: F)