A half-season isn't enough time to properly judge big-name offseason moves. Or is it? Nine weeks through the 2023 NFL campaign, some of the most handsomely paid veterans of the spring and summer have already proven vital to their teams' success, or been benched for a lack of impact.
A lot can change between now and the end of the season, but here's how we'd regrade some of the top veteran moves midway through 2023 -- specifically, the 10 free agents who got the largest contracts to change teams, and five of the most notable veterans to be traded ahead of Week 1:
Aaron Rodgers to the Jets
Trade: A first-round pick, two second-round picks and a sixth-round pick for Rodgers, a first-round pick and fifth-round pick
"Incomplete" feels right considering Rodgers lasted all of four plays before suffering an Achilles tear, but then again, New York shouldn't necessarily be excused for betting on a nearly 40-year-old QB behind a visibly shoddy O-line. Rodgers still has the arm to rewrite his Jets legacy, but it remains to be seen if that'll even occur before 2024. The only reason his addition hasn't been a total failure is because of the composure and underlying belief he brings to the locker room.
Midseason grade: D
Derek Carr to the Saints
Contract: 4 years, $150 million
Carr spent almost a decade as a gutsy but mercurial starter with the Raiders before New Orleans signed him to replace Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston. The contract looks a bit bigger than it actually is; he's currently the 14th-highest-paid among QBs in terms of average annual earnings. But the production hasn't necessarily even justified that, delaying a full-on rebuild for mostly conservative, inefficient results. Improved a bit as of late, he's at least keeping New Orleans in playoff contention.
Midseason grade: C-
Jimmy Garoppolo to the Raiders
Contract: 3 years, $72.75M
There's not a whole lot to debate here. Garoppolo was a fine figurehead for Kyle Shanahan's 49ers offense, but he was always going to be a risky bet behind an iffy O-line in Vegas. Injuries reared their head early, but even when upright, he didn't appear to settle in under ex-Patriots pal Josh McDaniels, whose in-season firing has all but saddled Garoppolo to the bench for good.
Midseason grade: F
D'Andre Swift to the Eagles
Trade: A fourth-round pick and seventh-round pick for Swift and a seventh-round pick
Cast aside by Detroit after David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs arrived in Motown, Swift has rediscovered his burst as the Eagles' most dynamic ball-carrier, ranking third in rushing yards (614), on pace to blow his previous career marks out of the water. A bit more situational consistency might be nice, but he's been a successful gamble thus far.
Midseason grade: B+
D.J. Moore to the Bears
Trade: A first-round pick for Moore, two first-round picks and two second-round picks
Chicago's general offensive ineptitude has overshadowed Moore's WR1 ability, and even still, the ex-Panthers standout ranks just outside the top five in receiving yards (735), on pace for career numbers, averaging well over 15 yards per catch. More than that, his arrival can't be separated from the trade package that'll likely have Chicago possessing a pair of top-10 picks in 2024.
Midseason grade: A
Darren Waller to the Giants
Trade: A third-round pick for Waller
New York flipped the pick acquired for Kadarius Toney to land Waller, who's proven more reliable as a safety valve but just as troubled by injury woes. Waller's addition would've been more appealing had the Giants done anything to properly address their accompanying holes at O-line and wide receiver, but asked to be the No. 1 on his own, he's once again struggled to stay active.
Midseason grade: D+
Mike McGlinchey to the Broncos
Contract: 5 years, $87.5M
Sean Payton's first order of business as Broncos head coach was retooling the trenches, and McGlinchey was the biggest beneficiary. A knee sprain preceded a rough start to the year, but he's since settled in to help Denver rebound from a 1-5 stretch. Still, the jury is out on whether the ex-49ers veteran can justify his $17.5M annual price tag, ranked sixth among RTs.
Midseason grade: C
Jawaan Taylor to the Chiefs
Contract: 4 years, $80M
Only Eagles All-Pro Lane Johnson earns more at RT, but Taylor has been a liability more than an asset for Kansas City after leaving the Jaguars. He made headlines for avoiding "egregious" penalties in his Week 1 debut, was briefly benched in Week 2, and months later, the Chiefs are still giving both their tackles extra help to keep Patrick Mahomes upright.
Midseason grade: D-
Orlando Brown Jr. to the Bengals
Contract: 4 years, $64M
The former Chiefs LT is grading out as just a passable blocker in his Bengals debut, per PFF, but few edge rushers have actually beaten his pass protection to down Joe Burrow. That's doubly impressive considering how often Cincinnati has thrown it, and how limited Burrow was as a runner and play-extender during his early-season calf injury.
Midseason grade: B+
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Javon Hargrave to the 49ers
Contract: 4 years, $84M
The 49ers were hailed as potential world-beaters when they added Hargrave to their already-feared defensive front, but the ex-Eagles star has been relatively quiet even while working next to Nick Bosa, with three sacks in eight games. Still, he's on pace to match his career high in tackles for loss and should have even more opportunities with Chase Young also in tow.
Midseason grade: C+
Dre'Mont Jones to the Seahawks
Contract: 3 years, $51.5M
Seattle's defense hasn't taken the consistent leap its offseason investments might've foretold. Jones has been part of that, logging seven QB hits but just two sacks -- on pace for a potential career-low in that category after four promising years in Denver. He's grading out as just a middling defender, per PFF, but there's still time for a turnaround.
Midseason grade: C
Dalvin Tomlinson to the Browns
Contract: 4 years, $57M
The former Giants and Vikings veteran has been an anchor in the trenches, on pace for career highs in sacks and QB hits. It's just one of many reasons Jim Schwartz's defense has been one of the stingiest in the NFL halfway through 2023. Alongside Myles Garrett and Co., his push has helped Cleveland surrender the fewest yards of any team entering Week 10.
Midseason grade: A
Tremaine Edmunds to the Bears
Contract: 4 years, $72M
Edmunds has always been an athletic freak, and some of that has shown through at the heart of Chicago's "D," where the former Bills starter has been a part of several takeaways. But as one of the four highest-paid off-ball LBs in the NFL, his impact hasn't helped Chicago avoid being one of the worst scoring defenses in the game. And now he's banged up as well.
Midseason grade: C-
Jalen Ramsey to the Dolphins
Trade: TE Hunter Long and a third-round pick for Ramsey
Like Aaron Rodgers, he's a tough grade solely because of injury; the former Rams star has only played two games since returning from offseason surgery. But his impact has been felt more, with a pick and a score in a 1-1 stretch that included a decent defensive showing against the Chiefs. As long as he stays healthy, he'll be critical to Miami's playoff run as well.
Midseason grade: C+
Jessie Bates III to the Falcons
Contract: 4 years, $64M
Atlanta hasn't figured things out offensively, and the Falcons aren't perfect on "D," either. But their pass defense in particular ranks in the top 10, and Bates has stayed around the ball to back up the cornerbacks. With five pass deflections, two forced fumbles and three picks, he's been a catalyst for big plays on that side of the ball.
Midseason grade: A-
