Winners and Losers of Free Agency

by terrancespitz | 3 years ago | 0 Comments

 Winners & Losers of Free Agency: RZ74

 

How we define 'winners' and 'losers' under our conglomerate can vary from user to user, often times leading to much ambiguity in each term, depending on who you ask--or whose ulterior motives and disdain resonnates the most. Whether a transaction is met with praise, or reproach, making a big splash in the offseason and hoisting your name amongst the elite team builders is a feat we all covet and endeavor to reach. Every team has a unique philosophy to how they manage their roster, how they balance their finances, and how they value talent. Those three components--in conjuction with cap space and rationale--can really lift a team to the top, or send them down deep into the abyss. As the cycle speeds closer to the finish line, the offseason heading in Season 74 may be the most pivotal, as each decision may have adverse effects, or put a team one step closer to a championship.

 

Here, we will recap some of the biggest moves in free agency with the teams who hit the ball out the park, while completely chasting the teams that missed, in typical pretentious, Adelmannean fashion. The rubric used when scoring this is heavily weighed on team need, team fit, equity of contract, and overall team outlook and future vision.

 

                                                                     Winner: Buffalo Bills     

                                                                                              

Bouncing back from a season that saw the Bills finish under .500 and out of the playoffs, Buffalo re-emerged as ACFE champions with a 12-4-1 record and a wild card playoff victory at home. An area of improvement for Buffalo was on the defensive side of the ball--specifically against the pass--where Buffalo ranked 27th in the league, giving up nearly 300 yards per game through the air. The Bills addressed that need in free agency, bringing in 5 veteran defensive backs to shore up the secondary. Brain Poole, Quandre Diggs, Xavier Woods, and Isaiah Oliver all headed to Buffalo, not only to help bolster the passing defense, but also came on pretty short, cheap deals. None of the aforementioned players were signed beyond 2 years, and none were more than $2M/yr. If the bargin for quantity wasn't enough, Buffalo added an explosive playmaker in the running game, signing HB Antonio Gibson to a 4 year, $56M contract. The bell-cow for Washington, the 27 year old Gibson is coming of 4 consecutive 1,000 yard seasons, making an immediate impact for the Bills, a team that finished 26th in rushing last season. Addressing needs while getting bargins and not breaking the bank on bad contracts is quite a talent, and the front office in Buffalo should be applauded for their work.

 

                                                     Winner: Cinncinati Bengals       

                                     

 

As if a highly touted defense that ranked 3rd in the league in total yards wasn't enough, Cincy made a big acquisition, trading 2 picks to get elite pass rusher Montez Sweat from Washington. Though they lost Joe Mixon and Deandre Hokins via trade and release, respectively, the Bengals were able to acquire picks while free up cap space to add depth at the linebacker position with vets Dont'a Hightower and Alex Highsmith. Filling in a hole left be Hopkins at receiver, the Bengals added young deep threat Nico Collins who is fresh off of a superbowl and is still getting better. Not big flashy signings, but the Bengals addressed needs, got better on defense and acquired picks for the future.

 

                                                                        Winner: New York Jets

                                                                 

 

Perhaps one of the sneaky plays of the offseason, the Jets made noise by first acquiring draft capital from Washington when the traded MLB Kenny McClain. They then went on a haul, completely revamping their offensive line by nabbing RT Orlando Brown, LT Taylor Lewan, and C David Andrews. With those three joining the likes of Mekhi Becton, the Jets clearly felt they needed an identity, and it starts in the trenches. Orlando Brown did come at a very high expense, (4yr, $152M) but when a team has been crippled with unsatisfactory offensive line play, sometimes you have to spend to get what you need. A bit confused at the signing of C JC Tretter and that money could have been used to get a playmaker out wide, but the Jets, who also boosted their defensive line, signing Demarcus Lawrence to a one year deal worth a little under $9M, showed they had an identity to correct and finally looked their offense has some stability and direction.

 

                                                                   Wiinner: Houston Texans                             

                                                                  

 

Congratulations to Coach Biggs and the Texans for capturing their 2nd title in 4 years. But let me forewarn the league: they are not done! After an illustrious season capped of with a Super Bowl championship, nothing is more encapsulating of a great franchise than heading into the offseason with $102M in cap space after you just won the chip. All the Texans did with that money was bring in a slew of defensive veterans to help improve the 27th ranked defense, while adding receivers' Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry to take the best offense to historic heights. The Texans are in 'win now' mode and being able to throw $25M at Michael Thomas and $5.6M to Jarvis Landry for just one year, respectively, proves the Texans know exactly what they need and they havent ruined their offensive continuity. The pieces added on the defensive side of the ball with Cameron Jordan and Casey Hayward addressed major issues, while also not jepordizing the future of the Texans to build and develop, signing both vets to one year deals.

 

                                                                         Losers: New England Patriots

                                                               

 

The Patriots started the offseason on a bad note, re-signing 34 year old Aaron Donald to a 2 year deal worth $42M. A team that has finshed below .500 in 3 of 4 seasons, New England is a rebuild, but the front office has operated as if the are in contention for a title. That couldn't be more prevelant, as the Patriots threw a king's ransom ($108M large over 4 years) to 33 year old receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Though extremely talented with some juice left, DHop is simply not worth the money nor years, and as aforementioned, New England is not in contention. Unlike the Jets who addressed team need and built an identity, the Patriots failed to address the defensive side of the ball where they ranked last in the league, nor brought in youth and talent to grow around Mac Jones. I would have liked to see New England acquire draft assests for Aaron Donald and disperse that influx of cap space to acquire young talent. Instead, they gave 4 years to an aging receiver and blew the rest on skittles and coke zero.

 

                                                                     Loser: Tennessee Titans

                                                                             

 

One of the more consistent power houses in the league, the Titans dropped the ball in free agency, and the theme seemed to be overpay for old, aging veteran receivers, astonishingly topping the Patriots' deal to DHop by signing Keenan Allen to a 4 year deal worth $122M. The Titans don't have many holes, but the number one need was offensive line, followed by a defensive playmaker in the secondary. The Titans bypassed both, and instead broke the bank for Allen--albeit a future hall of famer--who at 33 with declining athleticism, offers nothing more than a redzone target and stick mover. With an aging Russell Wilson and a very weak offensive line, the Titans commited a ton of money and years to a guy on the brink of retirement, while failing to address any position of need.

 

                                                                        Loser: Los Angeles Rams

                                                                     

 

Being strapped for money does make one redirect their path and temper expectations. So while I'm impartial to the Rams and their strategy, the offseason moves were quite the head scratcher. The Rams have arguably the best linebacker corps in all of football. When they decided to let Matt Milano walk in free agency, it was a no brainer, as the youth and talent they possess at the position made Milano expendable. Inexplicably, however, the Rams made a last ditch effort in the closing moments of FA1, eventually signing Milano to a 2 year, $14M deal. They followed that up by signing LG Alex Leatherwood to a 3 year deal worth $17.6M deal, and HB DJ Parsons to a 3 year, $7.65M deal. Parsons will be buried in the depth chart behind Akers and Henderson Jr and offers the Rams no use. Milano is sitting in a room with the best LB core in the league and will get little reps. Though Leatherwood is solid, this was not a huge upgrade at the guard position. The Rams could have used the money spent on these contracts and made a big splash by bringing in Dak Prescott, who can elevate that offense and is simply leaps better than Derek Carr. I think if the Rams had a reset button, they would've went after Dak and been a favorite. 

 

                                                                         Loser: Green Bay Packers

                                                                              

 

With a 6-game suspension looming for All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, the Packers needed to spend their $52.6M dollars of cap space strategically and with the future in its best interest. Losing David Bahktiari to free agency was a big blow to the Packers' offense, but if the sentiment around the front office was that there was no team interest in re-siging the LT, why not shop him around for young assests and picks? Instead, the Packers let Bahk' walk and spent their money on bringing in aging, middling linebackers Za'Darius Smith and Zach Cunningham--both over 3 years--to a combined $64.15M. They also dumped $24.4M over 3 years for Derrick Nndai, posing the question: Who is in charge of budgeting here? The Packers are in a rebuild and had a ton of money. Too much money was spent on players that are of no need and do not help your program grow. And with the inevitable suspension of Adams in the wake, this looks like it will culminate with a chaotic year in Lambeau.