Day 1 FA Grades - AFC Edition
by adelfish | 3 years ago | 0 Comments
AFC Free Agency Grades - Day One
AFC East
Bills sign CB Xavier Rhodes - 1 Year, $4 Million - B Grade
Xavier Rhodes had a pretty solid individual season last year for a terrible Colts team. He grabbed 5 interceptions at the ripe age of 31. Now at 32, he heads to Buffalo to be a depth piece. At $4 million for a solid 3rd cornerback, it's a decent move. Rhodes has lost a step, so if injuries force him into more playing time, Buffalo will be in trouble. I can see him as a slot corner for this defense.
Bills sign LB Dont'a Hightower - 1 Year, $10 Million - B- Grade
Despite his age, Hightower can still be a productive player. He was solid in the run game last year for New England. He comes to Buffalo to join Tremaine Edmunds at MLB, and help an improving Buffalo defense. Hightower is 32, and has slowed tremendously, also his pass rush skills have fallen off. I like him as a veteran presence, and a contributor, but $10 million for a guy who can be a liability in pass coverage is a lot. Buffalo may regret shelling out this much money, granted it is only a 1 year commitment.
Bills sign DE Derek Nnadi - 3 Years, $28.2 Million - C+ Grade
Whoa. Derek Nnadi is a run defender coming from Kansas City, who ranked 28th against the rush last season. Buffalo certainly has a talented supporting cast around him, with Ed Oliver, Greg Rousseau, and Jabari Zuniga, but is Derek Nnadi worth nearly $10 million per season? He is only 26, so that is a plus, but he kind of is who he is at this point. For a team that has some big names coming up for new deals next offseason (Oliver, Edmunds) and was already the 5th best run defense last year, was this signing necessary? One thing is for certan, running against Buffalo will be difficult.
Dolphins sign DE Jadeveon Clowney - 2 Years, $35.9 Million - C+ Grade
Well, the defensive rebuild in Miami begins. Clowney has hopped around the league for awhile now, with his latest stint in Cleveland showing 4 sacks and decent play in the run game. At 29 years old, what does Clowney do very well? I think he is still very athletic and powerful on the line, and can be a great disruptor in the run game. For Miami, they'll be paying nearly $18 million a season for a defensive lineman who doesn't generate much of a pass rush. The Dolphins finished bottom 10 in sacks last season, I don't think Clowney solves that problem.
I do think Clowney will help the Dolphins run defense ascend, but I think they will regret splashing this much money on a guy who can't be a difference maker at all levels of the defense.
Dolphins sign LB Avery Williamson - 2 Years, $13.3 Million - B Grade
The Dolphins committed to improving their run defense this offseason, and Avery Williamson is a great addition for that. He will not provide them much in terms of pass defense, but Jerome Baker is growing into that role. Williamson joins a very underrated linebacker group featuring the aforementioned Baker, Phillips, and Van Ginkel. For 2 years at roughly $7 million, this is decent value for a player of Williamson's caliber.
Dolphins sign DT Larry Ogunjobi - 3 Years, $13.35 Million - B+ Grade
Ogunjobi is a 28 year old defensive tackle who is a supremely talented athlete, who actually came on quite a bit at the end of last year for Cincinnati, tallying 6 total sacks. Ogunjobi is talented in the run game, and is slated to start for Miami at defensive tackle. Cincinnati's run defense ranked 3rd in the league last year, and Ogunjobi was a big part of that. Getting a proven starter for just $4.45 million is a very good value deal.
Dolphins sign RB Ronald Jones - 4 Years, $39.8 Million - D- Grade
The Dolphins were a bottom 5 team in terms of rushing last season, and splashed by giving former Tampa Bay Buccaneer running back Ronald Jones nearly $10 million a year. The Dolphins have Myles Gaskin on the roster, who is a very slight downgrade to Jones. Jones ran for 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns last year for a high octane Bucs offense, and is still just 25 years old. This contract is in the Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon, Saquon Barkley realm. Is Ronald Jones as impactful as any of those players? No. Jones is going to have to be a huge difference maker for this Dolphins offense to justify this deal.
Patriots sign WR Keke Coutee - 4 Years, $20.8 Million - D Grade
The Patriots continue their trend of signing mediocre receivers to decent money, as Keke Coutee joins the wide receiver room of N'Keal Harry and Kendrick Bourne. Coutee had 464 yards and 3 touchdowns in San Francisco last season, and now is being brought in to bring an explosive threat to a stagnant Patriots offense. The 25 year old has potential, but giving $5 million to a player like Coutee screams desperation. I guarantee he is no longer on the roster in 2 seasons.
Patriots sign SS Landon Collins - 2 Years, $10.3 Million - A Grade
New England needed a running mate to pair with the young Kyle Dugger, and Landon Collins is a great fit for this defense. Collins comes in on a relatively cheap deal for 2 years, and is still just 28 years old. He is a great run defender, and is still one of the more athletic safeties in the league. Collins seems to be a stop-gap player, but for a good New England defense, this is a massive upgrade on the back end for just $5 million a year.
Jets sign WR James Washington - 3 Years, $13.5 Million - C Grade
Washington was buried on the depth chart in Pittsburgh, and comes into New York as the WR3. Washington is a sure-handed receiver who can make some tough catches, but outside of that seems to be just another guy. Joining the group of Davis and Moore gives the Jets a solid group of wideouts, but this move also buries Denzel Mims further down the depth chart.
Jets sign TE Tyler Conklin - 3 Years, $10.8 Million - C- Grade
The Jets have one of the worst tight end groups in the league, and Tyler Conklin has been brought in to be 'the guy' after being a backup in Minnesota for a few seasons. Conklin is a solid player, but isn't flashy in any areas of his game. He accounted for 2 total receptions last year. The Jets are paying him $3.6 million per year. It could be great value if Conklin develops, but I don't see it.
AFC South
Texans sign OL David DeCastro - 1 Year, $4.7 Million - A+ Grade
In a league where offensive lineman are tough to come by, I find it very hard to believe there wasn't more of a market for David DeCastro. His best days are behind him, but he is still a very solid starting offensive lineman. This is a massive upgrade for the Texans, and it comes at a cheap, low-risk price.
Texans sign CB Chris Harris - 1 Year, $5.43 Million - C Grade
Chris Harris is aging rapidly, and it shows in his athleticism. He is still talented in terms of his defensive IQ, but he is going to be a massive liability in coverage if the Texans are unable to get a pass rush going. Harris is hopefully a depth piece for Houston, and at 1 year there is no long-term commitment, but I could see this move hurting over the course of a season.
Texans sign CB Casey Heyward - 1 Year $7.8 Million - B Grade
Same kind of situation as Chris Harris, but Heyward seems to have a lot more left in the tank, hence the price tag. I can envision a secondary with Desmond King and Casey Heyward starting, with Chris Harris as a slot cornerback. A lot of experience in this group for sure, but as I mentioned above, they will struggle against the speedier AFC teams.
Texans sign RB Marlon Mack - 5 Years, $16.5 Million - A Grade
Marlon Mack was trapped behind Jonathan Taylor and Nyhiem Hines in Indy, and now he heads to an offense that has shown early that they get a lot from their run game. Mack is only 26, and the Texans lock him in at a very reasonable $3.3 million per year. If Mack can have the same kind of success Phillip Lindsay had, this is going to be a great deal for them. Is Ronald Jones worth $7 million more per season than Marlon Mack?
Texans sign OLB Melvin Ingram - 1 Year, $10.15 Million - C- Grade
Houston is looking for pass rush help, and they bring in Melvin Ingram on a 1 year deal to assist with that. Ingram struggled last season, accounting for just 1 sack, and has nowhere near the supporting cast in Houston as he did in Pittsburgh. For just 1 year, the commitment is short, but I think Houston will ultimately regret paying Ingram this much. I don't envision the production matching.
Colts sign DT Ndamukong Suh - 1 Year, $11.15 Million - B- Grade
The revision of the Colts defensive line continues, as the Colts send DeForest Buckner packing, then bring in Ndamukong Suh. Suh joins another White Greg selection of Da'Shawn Hand from a trade last season, on an expensive 1 year deal. To be fair, Suh is a talented player and will certainly help relieve some of the void left by Buckner, but Suh is no Buckner. The Colts run defense was below average last year, and I think they got worse at personnel. Suh will be 5-7 sack guy for the Colts this year, and is simply a band-aid.
Colts sign TE O.J. Howard - 5 Years, $36 Million - B+ Grade
After being stuck behind Rob Gronkowski in Tampa, Howard heads to Indianapolis to help upgrade the tight end position. Howard is very talented, one of the more athletic tight ends in the league, and is now locked in until age 32. White Greg is famous for his tight end production, and with Howard's skillset, this could be a great deal. It seems like a ton of money, but Howard has a ton of upside in this offense.
Colts sign OL Laken Tomlinson - 1 Year, $7.92 Million - A+ Grade
I love when teams bring in a good offensive lineman on a 1 year deal. Like I mentioned in the DeCastro grade, good offensive lineman are hard to come by. Tomlinson is a good-not-great blocker, but is an upgrade at right guard, and joins a very talented Indianapolis offensive line. I love this move for the Colts.
Jaguars sign DT Akiem Hicks - 2 Years, $27.9 Million - A+ Grade
So, the Jaguars get the league leader in sacks from last year (16) for 2 years at just $14 million per year? While some of the other pass rushers around the league are getting, well, you know...
This is a great signing by Jacksonville. The Jaguars defense improved down the stretch last year, and they had no difference makers on the defensive line, maybe outside of Josh Allen. Hicks is a great all-around defensive lineman, and will be fantastic for this group. This is a classic Huseman move.
Titans sign - QB Kyle Allen, a fullback, and a kicker - Turtles 'He's Not That Good' Grade
AFC North
Bengals sign WR Antonio Brown - 3 Years, $23.85 Million - A- Grade
Cincinnati brings in Antonio Brown as their third wide receiver to join Ja'Marr Chase and Tyler Boyd, a season after catching 58 balls for 779 yards and 7 touchdowns. He is a really nice player at this stage of his career, and the fact that the Bengals got Brown at $2.5 million higher than what the Patriots got for Keke Coutee is absurd. This is a great weapon for Aaron Rodgers in Cincinnati, and it is unlikely he sees the whole deal due to his age of 34.
Bengals sign TE Zach Ertz - 3 Years, $19.35 Million - C+ Grade
How much will Zach Ertz impact this offense as opposed to Trey Burton? That's the big question. With Aaron Rodgers, you definitely want to surround him with as many weapons as possible, but Ertz is on the decline, and it has shown in his play. The Bengals owe Ertz $6.5 million a year for the next 3 seasons, it will be interesting to see how much of a factor he can be in this offense.
Browns sign TE Dalton Schultz - 5 Years, $18.05 Million - C- Grade
Cleveland must be ready to move on from Austin Hooper, otherwise we are going to see a lot of two tight end sets this year. Dalton Schultz went for over 1000 yards last year in Dallas, and is one of the top vertical threats at the position. The Browns ranked 31st in passing last year, and just traded away their starting quarterback. I'm not sure how Dalton Schultz fits in right now, but hopefully the Brown will find a way to utilize him.
Browns sign OG Alex Kappa - 4 Years, $27.64 Million - C+ Grade
The Browns are paying $6.91 million per year for....a backup lineman. Alex Kappa is not going to start over any of the 5 offensive lineman the Browns currently have (Wills, Teller, Bitonio, Tretter, Conklin), at least not right away. Bitonio and Conklin are both up for new deals, and there are plenty of other players such as Ward and Hunt who are up as well. This seems to be a move for the future, and I do like it. If Bitonio walks next year in free agency, the Browns have Kappa ready to go. Lot of money to eat this year though for a 6th lineman.
Steelers sign LT Charles Leno Jr - 3 Years, $42.75 Million - A Grade
Pittsburgh's offensive line was a dumpster fire last year, and Charles Leno Jr is an above-average starting left tackle. Paying $14 million a year to solve your left tackle problem is a small price to pay, especially for an offense that struggled as much as they did last year. With a new quarterback coming to Pittsburgh, an upgrade at the blind-side was necessary.
Steelers sign TE Trey Burton - 4 Years, $17.04 Million - C+ Grade
GET THE TREY TRACKER!!! How does this guy keep getting paid? Does he have photos of someone? Seriously, this is ridiculous. Okay fine, it is only $4 million per year, and Burton is a 'solid' player. The Steelers did lose Ebron in free agency, so this move could help replace the production.
Steelers sign C Bradley Bozeman - 3 Years, $22.35 Million - A Grade
Another offensive line move for the Steelers, as they bring in one of the top centers on the market in at $7.5 million per year. Bozeman is still just 27 years old, and played very well for Baltimore last year. Once again, the Steelers paid market value to get a massive upgrade on the offensive line, another move I really like.
AFC West
Chiefs sign OLB Von Miller - 2 Years, $78.66 Million - Tauph Signing Brandon Graham Grade
Von Miler is 33 years old and making $40 million a year. The Chiefs defense was in the bottom half of the league in every category last year, and they believe that adding Von Miller will help shore up most of their issues. Miller joins Chris Jones and Emmanuel Ogbah (who we'll talk about next) on a defensive front that needed help. Problem...Miller is 33 years old and making $40 million a year. The Chiefs have all 3 of their starting wide receivers up for new deals, and are already up against the cap.
Von Miller had 11 sacks last year, so his production will need to skyrocket at the age of 33 for this deal to make any sense. This could hurt the Chiefs a lot over the next two years.
Chiefs sign DE Emmanuel Ogbah - 2 Years, $22.48 Million - F Grade
What the hell is going on in Kansas City? Why is Emmanuel Ogbah getting $10+ million per year? Ogbah is a very low impact defensive player, who is solid, but does not flash at any level of his game. Ogbah joins Von Miller on a revamped Kansas City defense that got...better? Maybe? This is a big commitment to someone who had just 1 sack last season.
Raiders sign TE Rob Gronkowski - 3 Years, $41.85 Million - B- Grade
With Darren Waller on roster already, the Raiders lock up Rob Gronkowski to the tune of $14 million per year. Unless we are going to see the both of them on the field consistently, this deal makes absolutely no sense. Gronk is 33, slowing down, but is still an elite redzone threat. Hopefully the Raiders have some sort of plan of how they are going to use this two-headed tight end monster.
Raiders sign LB Rueben Foster - 5 Years, $32.25 Million - A Grade
Rueben Foster is a solid player, and still only 28 years old. The Raiders add him for just $6.5 million per year for the next 5 years, and joins a much improved linebacker group. Not much to say about this, I really like the move for Vegas, and I'm surprised it didn't take more money.