By: Burke De Boer
Sports Editor

It has been a whirlwind offseason for the NFL.

Teams are radically changing, as some move cities and others move schemes. The free agency opened with a blast and continues to roll. Teams that were nearly in the championship hunt last year look to make good on their “next year” promises.

Alshon Jeffery will change the game in Philadelphia, as Carson Wentz now has a legitimate number one target. Last year Jeffrey picked up 821 yards on 52 receptions. He will also be joined by Torrey Smith, a veteran receiver who reportedly turned down better offers in order to work with Carson Wentz.

Wentz, meanwhile, managed to prove himself both a durable and competitive quarterback last year, breaking the record for most completions by an NFL rookie. His receiving corps last year was a motley crew, which will be beefed up with the arrival of two new star targets.

The team making the most waves in the NFC North so far has been the Detroit Lions, though they haven’t been particularly flashy about it.

Offensive line signings generally don’t make headlines, but the Lions were abysmal at keeping their running backs healthy and keeping their ground game going last year. Rick Wagner was the best right tackle on the market, and he and T.J. Lang are the new additions to keep the Motor City Kitties’ engine running.

For other teams in the NFC North, the news is more about exits than entrances: Eddie Lacy is gone to Seattle, Alshon Jeffery to the Eagles and Cordarrelle Patterson and Jared Cook are becoming Raiders. Meanwhile, free agents Jay Cutler and Adrian Peterson still look to find homes.

Lacy in Seattle will surely help the Seahawks rediscover their hard-rushing roots. But the Packers are now short staffed and head coach Mike McCarthy knows it. At this point they’ll likely look to the draft for a solution. Though, for the right price, Vikings legend Adrian Peterson could become Packers legend Adrian Peterson.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu