RZ - Season 64 - Free Agency Frenzy
by adelfish | 4 years ago | 0 Comments
Free Agency Frenzy!!!!
Well it's been a wild start to the month of December, which began with the most humble, modest, and handsome owner in Red Zone winning his 5th championship over a tough as all-heck Titans team. After that, we roll right into what figures to be one of the craziest offseasons this cycle can offer.
In lieu of simply grading each free agency signing, as some of them become monotonous (big word Moji), I am going to break these down into a few tiers of things I...
Loved
Liked
Disliked
Hated
Pretty simple! Grab a cup of coffee, an avocado toast (Kad), or your favorite IPA, and enjoy a read about the spending spree!
'I Loved It' Tier
What does an 'I Loved It' tier move mean? It doesn't always mean that the money was 100% right, but it always jumps out as a perfect fit that will help a team win more games.
Not much to say here, but this is why the good teams stay good! Gabe Jackson is an above average starting offensive lineman, a savvy veteran, and gets plugged into a 14-2 system to contribute to an already talented offense. Best part? 1 year deal, so the Jets have a band-aid to either draft their guard of the future (they won't, they don't have picks), or bring him back for another cheap 1 year deal next year.
I'm excited about this signing, and I know the Colts are as well. Rumor has it that Ricky Chapstick was so giddy when Smith signed on the dotted line, he started running around the office, smooching all of his staff (mask on of course).
Smith does a little bit of everything, and does it well. He can rush the passer, he can stop the run, and he can tackle in the open field if you really need him to. The way the Colts will move him around therir front will be really interesting to watch, as Smith is a player who can change games, as we saw in Green Bay.
For only 33 million over two years, this is a steal. I can't believe more weren't in on Smith, but the Colts bring in a veteran who can help them win!
So someone want to tell me how Parris Campbell settled for $5 million a year, on a shorter deal, while N'Keal Harry gets a 5 year deal worth $6.6? Nobody values third string/slot wideouts more than the Chargers, as they have invested in the position in the past (Switzer) and it paid off.
Now, they get a massive upgrade of depth behind Allen and Williams, at the cheap price of $5 million per year. Campbell is very talented, and could even be a future #2 in this offense if the Chargers move off Allen. I love this move, and if the Chargers opt for more 3WR sets, expect Campbell to set career highs in receptions and yardage.
Harrison Smith heads to Philly on a 1 year deal (and I know it's getting repititive) but 1 year deals for players that are still really talented despite age, are almost no-risk. Smith is one of the best safeties in the league, and proved it with his two year run in San Francisco. The Eagles have been rotating safeties alongside the young K'Von Wallace, so Smith's presence will only help.
$13 million is a lot for one year of a player, but with the amoun of cap they had to burn, it was a no brainer to spend on a 1 year rental.
Savvy moves from RFox!! I love it. With Coach Lefty out the door, the NFC North is WIDE open, seriously, anyone could win this division. Bringing in two proven veterans on cheap 1 year deals, are fantastic moves to build depth on this roster.
Graham is a really solid rotational lineman, while Peterson is still playing at a high level, catching 4 interceptions last season. Peterson will slide into the #2 corner spot behind Okudah, while Graham joins a defensive line rotation featuring Arik Armstead and Da'Shawn Hand. Love these moves.
SKOL!!! I love this move!!! The Vikings keep Michael Pierce around on the tag, then lock up Leonard Williams, and move him inside to defensive tackle, where i think he will really flourish. Williams is a really talented player, he isn't an elite pass rusher by any means, but is one of the better run stuffers.
Pairing him and Pierce together for at least a year is a great move, and this will only help the play of the young defensive end Stockton. The Vikings are quietly putting together a great front seven.
Someone want to tell me how the Rams got the best right tackle on the market for $7 million a year? What a great pickup by the Rams to retain Havenstein's services on the open market, as he was no doubt the best available at his position. For the run heavy offense the Rams are implementing this year under their new offensive coordinator, retaining Havenstein was a massive win for them. Good job by you Jimmy!!!
Tampa has done a great job keeping their offensive line really solid, with the additions of Humphries and Ben Jones at center, they will remain one of the better groups in the leauge. Humphries is a really talented run blocker, and can be servicable at pass blocking. He is not elite, but is a good starting left tackle for your line.
For a 2 year deal that is under $10 per, I think this is a fantastic deal for a stop-gap left tackle.
'I Liked It' Tier
These moves were solid, but something still causes me to pause. I usually find myself talking about these signings then saying 'But...'
I was very close to putting this deal in the 'Loved It' tier, but the $20 mil a year price tag for Coleman is a lot for a #2 corner. The best part of this deal though, is I was sitting in my big comfy chair (sitting UP of course), cackling to myself that some poor team was going to come in and make Justin Coleman their #1 corner. The Colts didn't need a #1, they needed a compliment to Kenny Moore, and that is exactly what Coleman is.
Despite playing for the hideous Motor City Kitties for the past three years, Coleman managed to shine with 14 interceptions in 3 seasons, and now joins a secondary featuring Moore, Rock Ya-Sin, and Nickell Robey-Coleman. On a 2 year deal, I find the money more defensible, but this is still one of those deals that could handcuff you next year, albeit, for one year.
Well isn't one of those nice feel-good returning home stories? Casey comes back to Tennessee where it all started, after a pretty productive 3 year run in Denver where he totaled 16 sacks and a ton of tackles.
Tennessee is beefing up their front seven, that was gashed in RZ Bowl 64. There is nothing wrong with bringing in more depth at the position, and Casey should see a fair amount of snaps in this system. My only issue with this deal, is that it is two years. Maybe Casey reitres, but bringing him in on a 1 year deal saves Tennessee risk of his play declining and having to cut him and eat money later.
I may regret this but I'm going against my rule of thumb that all 1 year deals are really good moves with low risk, but something about this signing doesn't sit right. I'm concerned because I think the Bengals plan to use Sherman as their #1 corner (they have Ronald Darby as the other potential option).
Sherman has really regressed, and I envisioned him going to a team that needed a really good #2 or #3, and Sherm will be asked to be the top guy at his age, and his current athleticism.
Bengals needed a corner, and the 1 year deal really mitigates any financial risk, but I wonder if Cincy will be regretting this when Sherman is huffing and puffing after Marquise Brown and Chase Claypool.
The Broncos signed former Eagle Andre Dillard to a deal that was well below his initial market value, and the big reason why is due to the way this deal was structured. The Broncos guaranteed $26.4 of the $29.15 million of this contract, meaning that Dillard is essentially guaranteed to be a Bronco for the life of the deal, or he will at least walk away with $26 million.
Now I like the signing, as Dillard is an above-average offensive tackle, but guaranteeing all the money creates a potential future issue if the Broncos find a better offensive lineman in the draft or free agency. I know Denver has been vocal about the past few offensive line classes, so this could be their fix.
My only issue is that it may be hard for them to get out of this deal if they want to, otherwise it's a pretty creative way to sign a guy, and less than what he wanted.
I was really close to putting this in the 'Dislike' Tier, due to the 3 year deal aspect of the contract, and giving 31 year old Bitonio seems like a ton, but he is still really talented. One of the best interior pass blockers in the league, Bitonio gives the Chiefs a massive upgrade at guard, and will help contribute right away.
Downside? Once again, $15 mil a year is a ton for an aging offensive guard, because remember - this is not a tackle or a center, which are more important positions. The way contracts are structured will have the third year of this deal the most expensive, meaning Terry will likely be regretting this if Bitonio is still around at age 34. For now, I like it enough.
Stephon Tuitt tallied 26 sacks in his last 3 years in Pittsburgh, one of the best interior defensive tackles in football, and now gets to line up next to Fletcher Cox for the next two seasons. Being able to rotate Cox, Tuitt, and the rest of the talented linemen in Philly will be a problem for defenses, as Cox/Tuitt is probably the best defensive tackle pairing.
The downside? Paying $20+ million a year to a 30 year old defensive tackle, that's a lot of money, but with the length of the deal being 2 years, I still rank this as 'I Liked It'.
'I Disiked It' Tier
It wasn't great, the fit isn't ideal, or just a little too much of that coin. Here's the positive - it isn't a complete catastrophe.
Whoa, that is a lot of money for Will Hernandez, and here's the thing - he is pretty good. Released due to CBA infractions by the lowly Giants, this guy shouldn't have even been on the market. It isn't often that a 27 year old starting offensive lineman hits the market, so I understand the idea to pay the big bucks.
Will Hernandez is not elite though, and he is on a contract similar to the deal given to Quenton Nelson last year, who is a far superior player.
The Bills offensive line is a disaster, so bringing Hernandez in helps immediately, but this is a TON of money for a lineman who doesn't play tackle or center.
The former Kansas City Chief earns a massive payday after an 11 interception season, getting $7.5 per year from the Cowboys. Fenton joins a secondary featuring Chidobe Awuzie and Trevon Diggs, who were the 29th ranked pass defense last season in temrs of yardage.
Is Fenton an upgrade?
Uh, not really? Sure, he joins Dallas as their best man corner now on the roster, but outside of an outliar season that saw Fenton catch 11 interceptions, he was still a part of a Chiefs secondary that was ranked even worse than Dallas (32nd last year).
So now, you're bringing a guy in who is basically the same as what you have, but for $7 million a year. Yeah, doesn't look great for me. I'd rather see them go all in on one of the top corners available (Peters, Coleman), and actually go for a legit upgrade. I don't 'Hate It' because the contract is defensible from a financial standpoint, especially when Awuzie leaves, but this deal will look worse over time.
The Cowboys never cease to amaze me.
Dallas had the best interior offensive lineman in the league in Zack Martin, under contract for 2 more years, at $13.5 million per year. They flipped him to the 49ers for Javon Kinlaw (and the 10th overall pick), then handed out $38 million to Justin Skule to replace him.
Justin Skule is an average starting offensive lineman, and has very similar intangibles to Andre Dillard, who was given $29 million over 5 years, as opposed to $38 over 4.
Once again, this contract is fine now, as the Cowboys had a major need (that they created) on the interior, but as the deal goes along, the cap hit grows hire due to the nature of it being back-loaded. Skule is not developing anymore, due to his Normal dev and age. Paying this guy $10+ million a year when he is 29/30 is absurd.
One of the first big moves of the new regime is brinigng in edge rusehr Dante Fowler to replace Za'Darius Smith, and I can't say I like this move very much, but Fowler's potential does keep this out of 'Hate', and this is going rate for a pass rusher.
Fowler spent two seasons in Buffalo, totaling just 10 sacks (2 last year), after having 10 in one season with Atlanta back in Season 63. In Buffalo last year, he actually became a rotational guy, rarely seeing the field. He gets rewarded with $11 million a year, and has to help replace lost production of Za'Darius Smith AND Preston Smith.
I just don't see Fowler performing to this contract at all, but he is still one of the best edge rushers in the league in terms of finesse. There is a chance he could be a 9-10 sack guy.
'I Hated It' Tier
Fireable offenses, general managing malpractice.
So let's get one thing out of the way - N'Keal Harry is not a bad player, in fact he is actually a little better than Will Fuller at this point of his career (except for the sacrifice of 96-88 speed).
Top WR is Fuller, bottom is Harry. Let's remind everyone that the Texans traded Fuller (under contract for 3 more years at $7 million per) to the Bears for a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in this year's draft, and gave up their future 3rd to do that.
And I'll give the Texans a fair argument, Fuller has regressed every year in their offense, in yardage and touchdowns, so wanting to move off his contract (once again, $7 mil a year is EXTREMELY reasonable for a 96 speed deep threat) is something you can talk yourself into. But, you go and replace him with N'Keal Harry?
The worst part is, you're asking Harry to come into an offense that has been sluggish and uncreative, and for him to suddenly be 'the guy'. He hasn't developed at all in New England, and sure he is still 25, but he really is who he is at this point of his career. Harry (88 SPD, 87 RLS, all route runnings under 80) will face the top cornerback every single week in the regular season.
This move is just a microcosm of the front office work that Metal has been doing all year, it just doesn't make sense to me. Trade Fuller to sign Harry long term, place Watson on the block without knowing how his cap peanlties work, trading ALL YOUR FUTURES away to get into this year's draft, and you still don't have a first.
This is a TON of money for Marcus Peters, and even more term. In what world were other teams willing to commit to 30 year old Marcus Peters for 5 years? Let's get one thing straight, Peters is still a really solid cornerback, I would trust him to be a high-end #2, or low-end #1. But I wouldn't be riding on Marcus Peters hopes for 5 years, and certainly not when he is 30 years old.
So once again, contracts in this CBA are back loaded, so up front this won't be that bad for a solid cornerback, but as the deal goes on, it will get worse. They could be spending upwards of $16 million on Marcus Peters in his mid to late 30s, which is indefensible. For a pass defense that was ranked 14th last year, I didn't see this move as a major need, and certainly not the execution.