What NFL teams have done to support Alabama QBs this offseason

Heading into the 2022 football season, the Alabama Crimson Tide has three former quarterbacks expected to start for their respective NFL teams. That trio of signal-callers includes Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins), Mac Jones (New England Patriots) and Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles).

It’s an impressive collection when you consider that Alabama didn’t have a single starting quarterback in the NFL as recently as 2019. Unfortunately, all three players were given limited surrounding talent last season.

Jones probably had the most after the Patriots spent hundreds of millions of dollars bringing in key free agents such as Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith and Trent Brown, but a lot was left to be desired at wide receiver. Tagovailoa and Hurts each had good pieces, but the lack of offensive talent around them capped their ceilings.

The good news is that all three franchises made an effort to do something about the surrounding talent. Below, we break down all of the offensive moves made by the Dolphins, Patriots and Eagles, and how those additions will help the former Alabama quarterbacks they have under center.

Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins

Re-signings: TE Mike Gesicki (franchise tag); TE Durham Smythe; WR Preston Williams

Free agent additions: WR Tyreek Hill (trade); OT Terron Armstead; OG Connor Williams; RB Chase Edmonds; WR Cedrick Wilson; RB Raheem Mostert; WR Trent Sherfield; QB Teddy Bridgewater; FB Alec Ingold

Draft additions: WR Erik Ezukanma (Texas Tech, Round 4); QB Skylar Thompson (Kansas State, Round 7)

Key losses: WR DeVante Parker; WR Albert Wilson; QB Jacoby Brissett; RB Phillip Lindsay

The Dolphins are doing everything they can to put a winning collection of talent around Tagovailoa.

First off, they placed the franchise tag on Mike Gesicki, a flex tight end who was far and away the team’s most important free agent on offense. They also brought back blocking tight end Durham Smythe, who logged over 700 snaps in 2021, and Preston Williams, a key reserve at wide receiver.

This offseason wasn’t about keeping things the same for Tagovailoa in Miami though. The goal was to put more talent around the franchise’s top-5 pick at quarterback. The front office made sure to do just that via the free agent market.

Not only did the Dolphins improve the protection around Tagovailoa with Terron Armstead, the top blindside protector available, and starting guard Connor Williams, but they also surrounded him with a slew of quality offensive weapons led by star receiver Tyreek Hill.

Cedrick Wilson is a nice third receiver to pair with Hill and former Alabama pass-catcher Jaylen Waddle. Plus, the combination of Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert should almost stabilize Miami’s running back situation. Alec Ingold is also considered one of the better fullbacks in the NFL.

Bringing a more effective run game to the field on Sundays should take pressure off Tagovailoa.

After trading for Hill, the Dolphins only had four total draft picks, two of which were spent on offensive players.

The best is Erik Ezukanma, the pass-catcher out of Texas Tech who was selected in the fourth round. This is a balanced receiver who has enough speed to win vertically, but at 6-foot-2, 209 pounds, he can also be an effective option in traffic. He’ll add to the depth in Miami’s wide receiver room.

Surrounding Tua with more offensive talent? Check.

Mac Jones, Patriots

Re-signings: RB James White; OT Trent Brown; OL James Ferentz; QB Brian Hoyer

Free agent additions: WR DeVante Parker (trade); RB/WR Ty Montgomery

Draft additions: OG Cole Strange (UT-Chattanooga, Round 1); WR Tyquan Thorton (Baylor, Round 2); RB Pierre Strong (South Dakota State, Round 4); QB Bailey Zappe (Western Kentucky, Round 4); RB Kevin Harris (South Carolina, Round 6); OC Chasen Hines (LSU, Round 6); OT Andrew Stueber (Michigan, Round 7)

Key losses: OG Shaq Mason

The Patriots took a vastly different approach to giving Jones more talent to work with.

After going on a spending spree in free agency prior to the 2021 season, Bill Belichick and company elected to only add one key offensive playmaker by way of trading for DeVante Parker. He’s not a game-breaking receiver like Hill, but he’s a steady target who should be a reliable starter for Jones.

From there, a majority of New England’s focus — at least on offense — shifted towards the NFL draft. Of the 10 draft picks, seven of them were spent on offensive players.

UT-Chattanooga’s Cole Strange is being brought in as a replacement for longtime starting guard Shaq Mason, who was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some viewed the first-round selection as a slight reach, but I wouldn’t discount Belichick’s decision-making.

The Patriots then took Tyquan Thorton with the No. 50 overall pick in the second round. The Baylor product is a lean 6-foot-2, 181 pounds, but his 4.28 40-yard dash accurately depicts his tremendous vertical speed. Plus, he’s a sure-handed, reliable pass-catcher that Jones will enjoying throwing to.

From there, it was all about filling out the depth at running back and along the offensive line.

Jalen Hurts, Eagles

Re-signings: OC Jason Kelce; RB Boston Scott

Free agent additions: WR A.J. Brown (trade); WR Zach Pascal

Draft additions: OC Cam Jurgens (Nebraska, Round 2); TE Grant Calcaterra (SMU, Round 6)

Key losses: OL Nate Herbig; RB Jordan Howard

Philadelphia didn’t come close to making as many moves as Miami and New England did to try and surround its starting quarterback will more offensive talent. With that being said, the moves that were made on behalf of Hurts were significant.

The blockbuster addition came on opening night of the draft when the Eagles dealt a first-round pick for A.J. Brown.

At 6-foot-1, 226 pounds, the Ole Miss product is a thickly-built receiver who brought in 185 receptions for 2,995 yards and 24 touchdowns in his three seasons with the Tennessee Titans. Brown will team up with former Alabama pass-catcher DeVonta Smith to give Hurts one of the best receiving duos in the NFL.

The other addition, Zach Pascal, isn’t a household name, but he can be a nice target who fills out the rotation alongside players such Quez Watkins and Jalen Reagor. With Dallas Goedert at tight end and Miles Sanders out of the backfield, Hurts won’t be short on options in the passing game.

Grant Calcaterra is a decent late-round addition at tight end, but center Cam Jurgens out of Nebraska is the other key offensive piece who’s been brought in this offseason. The move won’t gardner as many headlines as Brown, but solidifying the future of the offensive line is big for Hurts.

Philadelphia only brought 34-year-old Jason Kelce back on a one-year contract, so a long-term center was more than needed. Jurgens is an ultra-athletic interior offensive lineman who will allow former Alabama standout Landon Dickerson, the team’s second-round pick in 2021, to remain at offensive guard.