The free agency tampering period began on March 11. Since 12:00 PM that day, over 100 moves have been made from several different organizations! Notable players signed exorbitant contracts to continue their NFL careers, others were traded, and some were cut for cap-saving purposes! For this article, we're going to briefly analyze how each team has done in the last couple of weeks to understand the type of direction that they will go in as this offseason progresses.
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ARIZONA CARDINALS
Even though free agency might not be the biggest priority for the Arizona Cardinals, they never shied away from upgrading their defense a bit. My favorite signing from this team so far is slot cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who received a three year deal for $25.5 million with $17.5 million guaranteed. While he’s nowhere near a number one option, he is certainly going to be a strong presence in a secondary that lacked talent or discipline the year before. The Cardinals also brought in a veteran pass rusher in Justin Jones from the Chicago. His deal is a little more steep, as he’ll be paid over $30 million for the next three years with $19.75 million guaranteed. I doubt he’s going to drastically improve their front seven, but he is definitely a solid depth piece that can stuff the run and clog up the middle of the field based on his size and strength alone. The last big move that Arizona made was signing linebacker Mack Wilson Jr. to a three-year deal as well, this time for a total of just $12.75 million that’s worth up to $15 million. He's not somebody that’s going to be a heavily featured part of their defense, although he can sack the quarterback and stuff the run, but rather a reliable special teamer. Offensively, they tried to improve their tackle situation by signing Jonah Williams to a two year deal worth $30 million, but I don’t believe it’s going to improve their offensive line situation. Even though he’s a decent depth option, he’s never been a reliable starter, so this might once again be another weak link for Arizona to deal with this year.
I don’t mind what the Cardinals are doing in free agency right now because they know that the biggest prizes ahead of them are in the draft. They still have the fourth overall pick and are hoping that they land with Marvin Harrison Jr., the best receiver in the draft to pair him with their franchise quarterback Kyler Murray. They still need to continue to fix the defense as much as possible, so the moves that they made on Monday were a really good start.
ATLANTA FALCONS
The Falcons made one of the biggest moves of the day by signing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year contract worth $180 million that includes a $50 million signing bonus and $100 million guaranteed! This is the definition of high-risk, high-reward and boom-or-bust. Atlanta might have found the quarterback that is going to lift them up to the top of the NFC South, but they overpaid about five to ten million dollars for a man that is 35 and coming off a torn Achilles! I think it can be a promising short-term solution, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to help Atlanta out in the long term. Most reports were saying that the Falcons should be in the lead for trading for Justin Fields, and while I think he could have been a promising fit, the front office apparently didn’t agree.
Having said all of that, if Cousins rebounds strong from that injury, the Falcons can absolutely win the NFC South. They have all of the offensive talent in place for the veteran to succeed. He’s got a successful running back tandem featuring Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, an underlooked number one option in Drake London, and a generational tight end in Kyle Pitts. They also recently just added a speedy playmaker in Darnell Mooney to a big three year deal worth $39 millions, somebody that can serve as a decent second or third receiving option. With the defense finishing as a top ten unit the year before, this team with Raheem Morris at head coach can definitely soar higher than they have in the last few years. All they have to do is keep upgrading some areas that might show flaws in the regular season and Atlanta will be a strong contender. Obviously, the Buccaneers and Saints will be two tough division rivals that will stand in their way, but the Falcons can say that they finally have the quarterback as the missing piece.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
We all know that as long as the Ravens have Lamar Jackson fully healthy as their starting quarterback, they’re going to be playoff contenders every single year. However, based on how free agency has gone for them so far, the odds of them reaching the AFC Championship again are very slim. They at least were able to give their best defensive lineman Justin Madubuike a well-deserved contract extension. He earned it after a huge breakout season, in which he had career highs in every single category, including thirteen sacks and twelve tackles for loss. Initially on the franchise tag, the Ravens ended up giving him a four-year extension for $98 million that includes $75.5 million guaranteed! But while they were able to keep him, they might not do so with some of their other key defensive starters.
They already lost their defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald to the Seattle Seahawks, but more players might be on their way to bigger paydays. Breakout safety Geno Stone signed a two year deal with their division rival Cincinnati Bengals, after he finished in the top five for interceptions the year before. A couple of their leading sackers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy are also free agents, and while I wouldn’t rule those two out just yet, there might be other contenders that want to sign them as depth options. Their best remaining free agent Patrick Queen just recently signed a three year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers, so now their linebacker room is already thinner . Offensively, they lost some key starters as well. Gus Edwards is now with the other Harbaugh in Los Angeles, Devin Duvernay signed an affordable deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and their starting guard John Simpson is now with the Jets. But one signing that could quite possibly make up for all of that is running back Derrick Henry, who agreed to a two year deal for $16 million with the team! Hopefully, the King still has some left in the tank and if he does, then we might see one of the most dominant rushing attacks in NFL History. Not only because of Lamar Jackson, but because they have a couple extra dynamic backs that have incredible speed and agility.
Thankfully, their core is still intact and will keep the Ravens afloat, but this team is going to play a lot different than it did the year before. In one of the toughest divisions in football, there is no guarantee that they can win it again. There is obviously still a lot of time for this team to make some positive signings, but as of right now, it’s not looking too bright in the sky.
BUFFALO BILLS
This is another team that is known for how many players that they had to lose and cut more than the ones that they were able to bring back. I’ll start with the positives first because I am after all a very optimistic person. The best move that the Bills made was giving their starting left tackle Dion Dawkins a well-deserved three year $60.5 million extension, a true and key staple of a usually strong offensive line. They also gave a two-year extension to defensive end AJ Epenesa, a reliable rotational piece that is due for a breakout season eventually, and gave veteran safety Taylor Rapp a new three year deal. They even brought back Mitchell Trubisky to be Josh Allen’s backup for the next couple of seasons. However, there’s a reason why I said that the Super Bowl window had closed for this team a long time ago, because now was the time where Buffalo had to make massive changes to get them back under the cap.
The Bills let go of three players that had been critical pieces to their success: starting center Mitch Morse, starting safety Jordan Poyer, and starting cornerback Tre’Davious White. When you add it all up, it should save this team just over $24 million in cap space, but this just proves that the salary cap is nowhere near a myth. Morse was definitely a shocking loss, but I’m not really shocked about the other two. Poyer had been in these types of rumors for the last couple of years, and while he was able to stay on the roster, it had to come to a break eventually. White was one that left me sad because the injuries that he suffered over the last few years have just really set him back. When he’s on the field, he’s still one of the top cornerbacks in the game. Unfortunately, he’s suffered a torn ACL and a torn Achilles in that span, and the Buffalo secondary has still been in good shape whenever he’s on the sideline. Leonard Floyd left in free agency to join the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers, Gabe Davis signed a pretty big three year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and we still don’t know what the future holds for Stefon Diggs. They did give Curtis Samuel a pretty good three year deal though, so that's a small consolation for them.
This is what happens when you keep trying to bring the band back together for another chance to get over the hump. The more that you fail, the quicker the chances are for your team to take on a completely different image. Josh Allen and Sean McDermott are still a good quarterback-coaching duo that can win their team the division, but their championship hopes have been over long before last season.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
I’ve said this before and I will say it again now. I’m not putting any faith in the Carolina Panthers as long as David Tepper is the owner, unless I actually see them dramatically overachieve. On the first day of the tampering period, there were definitely a mix of emotions. While they signed two offensive linemen to really big deals that can absolutely be valuable pieces, they also lost a few critical defenders that were the heart and soul of the team.
Their biggest splash was giving guard Robert Hunt a five year deal worth $100 million that includes a $26.5 million! He’s coming off the best year of his career after giving up the lowest pressure rate of his career, but this is a really huge boom-or-bust move for Carolina. Either he proves to be one of the biggest staples of what has been a travesty of an offensive line for the last six years, or he proves to be a huge albatross and fails miserably. I’m hoping that the latter does not take place because Hunt is a really strong addition to an offense that has just been miserable and pathetic. They also signed former Seahawks guard Damien Lewis to a four year deal worth $53 million with $26.2 million fully guaranteed. Still just twenty-six years old, he’s a really strong run-blocker, and his pass-blocking has improved every single season that he’s been in the league. But the biggest surprise move that they made was acquiring wide receiver Diontae Johnson via a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even though they had to give up cornerback Donte Jackson and a sixth round pick in the deal, they also received a seventh round pick and a really talented receiver that could help Bryce Young have a way better sophomore season with his skillset alone. The attitude and ego is a totally different issue, but time will tell to see how the deal works out for Carolina. On the defensive side, the Panthers tried to improve their depth situation by signing both Josey Jewell and A'Shawn Robinson to three year deals. One of them is still a solid run defender that can handle coverages from time to time, and the other is a powerful run stuffer. General manager Dan Morgan started off his tenure with some splashes, but we need time to see how well they can fit in Carolina, especially with a first-time head coach that has a lot to prove in Dave Canales.
Now we get to the bad side of the Panthers, which is just completely clogged at this point. Losing Frankie Luvu to the Washington Commanders was a big one since he’s an incredibly versatile defender that can play anywhere on the field, as well as Yetur Gross-Matos, who is a really underrated run-stuffer. The biggest one by far though was trading away Brian Burns to the New York Giants for a second and a fifth round pick. This has been an inevitable circumstance for the last couple of seasons now. Even though he received the franchise tag, the Panthers were going to have to pay him $24 million, and I think both sides just wanted to move apart naturally so that each can have a fresh start.
The Carolina Panthers right now are the definition of a laughing stock. The only way that this team proves me wrong is if Dave Canales does with Bryce Young what he did with Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield, which is help him have a renaissance season that makes his previous years completely forgettable. But even then, they still have a meddling owner and they don’t have a first-round pick, so this team better hopes that they luck into a franchise changing talent late in the draft. They addressed some of the issues that they needed to fix, but it also had to come at a cost once again.
CHICAGO BEARS
The Bears kicked off the free agency tampering period with a strong signing! They found their lead running back in D’Andre Swift and gave him a bargain three-year deal for $24 million with $15 million guaranteed. Even though this team has been a strong running offense over the last few years, a lot of it is because of the mobility of their quarterback, so signing Swift should definitely open up the offense just a bit more with his versatility and elusiveness. He'll also be a more featured target in the passing game with the loss of Darnell Mooney in free agency, along with adding him to a receiving group featuring DJ Moore and Cole Kmet, but his health will be a huge factor into his success with the team. Another strong move that Chicago made was giving their star cornerback Jaylon Johnson a big four-year extension, after he was originally given the franchise tag. Now, he will be paid $76 million dollars and will continue to be their primary shutdown option. Finally, they gave veteran safety Kevin Byard a minimum two year deal worth just about $15 million. Even though he didn’t have the best 2023 season with Tennessee and Philadelphia, I believe that he can fit well in Matt Eberflus’ scheme, and he’ll be more of a rotational piece than he’s been in his career due to the depth that they have at that position.
We all know that free agency is not the biggest thing that they have to address. They still have a ton of money in cap space that they can spend, but not only do they still have the first overall pick, but their quarterback situation has just gotten even more frenzier with the moves that were made. Two potential trade destinations for Justin Fields were the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons, but they instead opted for veteran quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins. I honestly don’t know what the Bears are going to do at this point. It would be insane for any team to pass up on Caleb Williams if they have the opportunity, and the Bears have made it known that the only way that they trade down again is if they get a ridiculous package in return. If you still don’t know who the quarterback of your football team is going to be, that’s a pretty big sign that your team is going to suck again. So much is on the line for this organization and if they end up making the wrong decision again, more massive changes than one are going to be made within a flash.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
At this point, the Bengals are just hoping to return to the form that they had in 2021 and 2022, rather than pull off another chaotic season like the one that they had last year. However, Tee Higgins doesn’t want the drama to end just yet. After receiving the franchise tag, he has requested a trade, and I honestly think that it’s going to be granted pretty soon. He might be the number two option behind Ja’Marr Chase, but he has a lot of value and teams are going to want to spend a first or second round pick to have him a part of their offense. If the Bengals had enough cap space, they could afford to keep both him and Chase long term, but that is nowhere near the case. One thing that they will know for sure is that they’re heading into the 2024 season without running back Joe Mixon. They were initially planning on releasing him, but instead traded him to the Houston Texans, so one of the more durable backs in the league is going to serve as a strong fit for a perennial playoff contender.
The replacement for Joe Mixon is going to be Zack Moss, who signed a two year deal worth eight million dollars. I don’t believe he’s a truly capable number one back, but he showed flashes when he started for the Indianapolis Colts last season in place of Jonathan Taylor. It’ll be interesting to see how well Moss can fit in this pass-first offense that Zac Taylor loves to implement, but at least the running game will still be intact. Losing Chidobe Awuzie in free agency was a blow since he was their best cornerback, but they did bring in a breakout safety in Geno Stone, who finished in the top five in interceptions. They also modified the tight end room by giving Drew Sample a three year extension and they also signed Mike Gesicki to a one year deal in free agency, so hopefully they get more involved than they have since CJ Uzomah departed.
This year is just about making sure that the core stays healthy, the offense returns back to normal with Joe Burrow, and that the secondary improves. It’s about making sure that they get back into the playoffs and pose as the one threat standing in the way of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. This season will definitely be different than it’s been in the past with Joe Burrow, but they’re going to be legitimate contenders barring any unforeseen injuries.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Thanks to the Deshaun Watson contract still breathing down their neck, the Browns haven’t done too much in free agency. They made one of the first trades of the new season by acquiring wide receiver Jerry Jeudy from the Broncos for just a fifth and a sixth round pick. He hasn’t lived up to being the first round pick that we all expected him to be, but he’s still a decent player that can live up to being a second option behind another former Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper. Plus, David Njoku is still going to be that security blanket and Nick Chubb is coming back from injury, but the efficiency of this offense will start and end with their quarterback. When you look at the defense though, I can honestly see it taking a step back. Just for the simple fact that normally when you have the best defense in the league, there are other teams trying to catch up with you. I definitely think it’ll still be a top five or ten unit, especially with all of the pieces it has on all three levels, but it is not going to be as dominant as it was last year. They didn’t lose too many notable guys, besides a few depth pieces in the front seven that are going to be a little hard to replace, so I still believe that this will be the reason why Cleveland has a chance to make it to the playoffs again.
This year is quite possibly Deshaun Watson’s last shot to prove himself with this football team. If they bring back Joe Flacco to be a backup quarterback, that’s good. At least there’s some security. But they also signed Jameis Winston to a one year deal, so the odds of that happening look pretty slim. Watson is coming off a really serious shoulder surgery, and based on the last two years he’s had in Cleveland, I honestly don’t know how well he is going to play coming back. Either this team wins ten or eleven games again and finds their way into the playoffs once again, or they fold once again and this goes down as the worst quarterback trade in NFL History.
DALLAS COWBOYS
It took three days, but the Cowboys finally signed somebody in free agency! Initially hoping to get a deal done with the 49ers, linebacker Eric Kendricks decided to join his former head coach Mike Zimmer to become a key starter, instead of just a rotational piece to an already vamped 49ers linebacking corps. Hallelujah! The only thing that Dallas did on the first day of the tampering period was lose starters. The first was running back Tony Pollard, who signed a three year contract for twenty-four million dollars with the Tennessee Titans. The Cowboys could sign Derrick Henry if they want to or they can wait until the draft and select maybe Jonathan Brooks or Blake Corum, but they need to choose quickly because that is going to be a big weakness for them if they keep waiting around. They also lost their starting center Tyler Biadasz and their starting defensive end Dorance Armstrong to the Washington Commanders, reuniting the both of them with Dan Quinn. Armstrong might not be a huge loss since they still have Micah Parsons and Mazi Smith is due for more starts in the next few years, but Biadasz is more critical because he was the next offensive lineman to leave right next to Tyron Smith.
So far, all they have done is resign their long-snapper to a one year deal. Such is the vision of America’s Team: pretending everything is fine and not focusing on the bigger issues. I get that they’re trying to get an extension done for Dak Prescott, one that he absolutely deserves, but how long is it going to be until Jerry Jones realizes that what he’s been doing is not working? I know he never will, but his stubbornness is his worst enemy, which is why the Cowboys are getting bounced out of the playoffs almost every single year.
DENVER BRONCOS
Unable to find a trade partner, the Broncos did what we all thought was impossible a couple of years ago and release Russell Wilson from his contract. In what is officially one of the worst quarterback trades in NFL history, Denver is now taking on nearly $85 million in dead money as a result of this release and are back to square one once again. Because of this, the organization had to make cost-cutting moves just to at least stabilize their cap situation. They didn’t want to do this, but they have no other choice. All-pro safety Justin Simmons got released. Jerry Jeudy got traded. More are probably on the way. The good news is that Denver at least found suitable options that will at least keep the team competitive for the upcoming season. They signed safety Brandon Jones to a three year deal, and while I do have concerns about his coverage skills, he is more known for his run coverage and blitzing skills that could give Vance Joseph some different ideas to work with. Pairing him with another safety on the rise in PJ Locke could work, but it’s going to take more maturity and reps for those two to really gel together.
Unfortunately, the Broncos are in a rebuilding stage right now… AGAIN. Since Peyton Manning retired in March of 2016, they are going to be going through their thirteenth different starting quarterback. If they don’t somehow luck into getting Justin Fields in a trade, then their only hope is that they draft either JJ McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr. Even though I think this team can be competitive because of the coaching and some of the studs that are currently still on the team, they are going to be really average at their best. I guess we have to ride this out.
DETROIT LIONS
It feels like every free agency period is just déjà vu for the Detroit Lions over the last five years: keep investing more in the defense and be cautious about who to keep on offense. The signings were not as big as they were last year, but trading for a solid lockdown cornerback in Carlton Davis and a promising depth pass rusher in Marcus Davenport are still solid additions to a young defense that is still developing! They also signed another decent corner in Amik Robertson, that might not shut down the best receivers, but has a legitimate catching radius and can be a ball-hawk at any given moment. It’ll be interesting to see if they bring back CJ Gardner Johnson and give him another chance to play a fully healthy season, or if they just let him walk in free agency to potentially join a different contender. On the offensive side, they didn’t do too much besides give Graham Glasgow a well-deserved three year extension, along with letting Jonah Jackson join the Rams. When you have Ben Johnson returning and the offensive core still intact, you don’t really need to make any huge additions besides a few depth pieces that can step up when one starter goes down.
This season is going to be more challenging for the Lions to run it back and make the playoffs than it was last year. Not only are the Packers trying to steal the NFC North from them, but the NFC is starting to get more and more stacked with these different free agency moves. The only way that Detroit can get back to the conference championship is if their defense starts playing out of their minds, but based on the scheme that Aaron Glenn is trying to run, I don’t think that is a huge possibility. They might be hopeful playoff contenders, but the clock is going to strike midnight quicker than it did last year.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Free agency has been a world of mixed emotions for the Green Bay Packers. While they’re making big additions that can make them exponentially better, they’re also sadly saying goodbye to those that did what they could over the last few years. Releasing Aaron Jones and letting Darnell Savage walk away were really tough. The former has been a staple of the franchise for years while the latter never really blossomed into the first-round pick that Green Bay expected out of him. Cutting left tackle David Bakhtiari was also really devastating because while he is so loved by every member of the organization and every single fan, his chronic knee injury has just been keeping him off the field for the last couple of years, and Green Bay could no longer deal with that cap hit for the remainder of his contract.
The great news, however, is that the Packers made a couple of big upgrades that can put them in front of Detroit for the division lead. The first was the real stunner of free agency, which was signing Josh Jacobs to a four year deal worth $48 million. Some might say it is a pretty steep price to pay, but this team has always been known for having quality run-blockers, and Jacobs can be a pretty good fit to what has been a balanced offense under Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur. It would’ve been nice to see Jacobs and Jones be a prominent duo, but it is still a respected signing. The second huge move was getting the top safety on the market Xavier McKinney to sign a four year deal worth $68 million! He is an extremely versatile defender that can play anywhere on the field, something that Green Bay had been lacking for years. He’ll be a huge addition to Jeff Haffley’s new unit, and knowing their history, they’re going to get a few more guys in the draft that are expected to really take their games to a whole different level.
I would say that the Packers are heading in the right direction. They need to boost up the offensive line badly with all of the guys that they lost, but they haven’t made any moves that will signal that this team is going to be worse than the year before. I wouldn’t establish them as Super Bowl contenders, and they’re not really a sleeper team. Instead, they’re letting the world know that this team is arriving and they better watch out before it’s too late.
HOUSTON TEXANS
A lot of activity has happened for the Houston Texans so far in this free agency period. On one hand, you’re going to miss a few of the players that they lost. On the other hand, the future is still bright and some of the additions that they made can make them even better. Sure, you’ll think it sucks that Devin Singletary couldn’t get a minimum deal and that Jonathan Greenard got a huge payday from a different team, but that doesn’t mean that Houston is going to miss the playoffs. They were able to trade for Joe Mixon after the Bengals were going to release him, so the Texans found the lead back that they’ve been searching for with Dameon Pierce proving to be a disappointing draft pick. They gave a valuable three year extension to Dalton Schultz, who has not only proven to be a reliable weapon, but a respected leader in the locker room. Their biggest splash was getting a dominant defensive end named Danielle Hunter, earning himself a two year deal for $49 million because he has shown how much of a game changer he is whenever he is fully healthy.
When you look at the rest of the team, all the Texans did was reload. You still have CJ Stroud engineering the offense and the receivers that he had last year are coming back to perform even better. The defense is hoping that they can gel into a more aggressive unit, one that slows opponents down more consistently and without mercy. They’re easily playoff contenders for the time being, but I think it’s too early to place them in a higher tier unless we see it for ourselves. The future is bright and as long as their key stars are healthy, there should be little to no setbacks.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
The Colts saw a lot of hope and optimism for the future, but they’re focusing on this year to prioritize the team around their fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson. While we saw flashes of what he could be in the NFL, we need to see what we can do fully healthy. It was a bummer that Gardner Minshew left in free agency, but this is Richardson’s team moving forward. The first thing that Indianapolis did was give Michael Pittman a long-awaited extension after initially putting him on the franchise tag. For three more years with an increased total of $70 million, along with $46 million guaranteed, he will be able to build off of his breakout season from last year and continue to prove why he’s a number one receiving option in this league. They kept Pittman, they still have Jonathan Taylor, the offensive line is back to full strength, and the rest of the receiving options are pretty decent. All they have to do is keep Richardson healthy and Indianapolis will have a chance to back their way into the playoffs this time around. If he does somehow get hurt again, then the fans will have some level of comfort with Joe Flacco as their backup quarterback.
Defensively, Indianapolis prioritized with signing a few key guys on their defense that they knew they couldn’t let walk away for nothing. Zaire Franklin has been a solid linebacker for this team since he arrived and earned himself a three year extension, Kenny Moore is now the highest paid nickel corner at thirty million dollars over three years, Grover Stewart has always been an elite run stuffer and will stay for three more years himself, and they’re keeping a rising rotational pass rusher in Tyquan Lewis for a good amount of extended time. So far, they haven’t signed anybody from an outside organization, but give it time and we’ll see where this team goes from here. Either Richardson makes a big leap and lifts this team back into a playoffs or things just stay the same and the Colts remain mediocre.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
The Jaguars have certainly been active in free agency so far. The only problem is that they’re not signing the guys that they truly need on their roster. Gabe Davis is a solid pickup and steal from the Buffalo Bills, but you’re giving him a three-year deal to be a number two option behind Christian Kirk, since they let Calvin Ridley sign a massive deal with the Tennessee Titans. Darnell Savage got a pretty steep overpayment for three years, but I guess you have to sign somebody that’s going to fill the void that Rayshawn Jenkins left in that defense. They also somehow weirdly gave up a sixth round pick for Mac Jones, who is going to be the backup quarterback behind Trevor Lawrence for just one season. The only signing that I think makes sense so far is center Mitch Morse, who got a two year bargain deal, but that still doesn’t solve the issues with the defense.
I can understand if you are still trying to sign Josh Allen to a long term deal, but what is the point of cutting Darious Williams and Rayshawn Jenkins if they weren’t going to make any upgrades to the defense? It seems like the Jaguars think that they can still be competitive with what they’ve got but they went from being a Cinderella team in 2022 to an average collapse the year after, so I can’t quite understand what their vision is right now. They still need to make sure that Trevor Lawrence is the guy moving forward, that the offense does not suffer any more setbacks or aversions, and that the defense is not a liability! I know it’s still very early, but Trent Baalke is not seeing the bigger picture right now, which is why they’re not going to progress if things continue like this.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
I know this sounds so obvious, but I’m going to say it anyway. It doesn’t really matter what the Chiefs do in free agency or in the draft because you know that they are the team to beat as long as Patrick Mahomes is still their quarterback. Their biggest priority was getting an extension done for their best defensive player Chris Jones, and they succeeded before the tampering period began. Kansas City gave him a five year extension worth over $158 million with $101 million guaranteed, all but making him the highest paid defensive tackle in the league. That means that the future of cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is uncertain, and while it would suck for them losing their top cornerback, the Chiefs are going to explore all of their options before making a final decision. They also made sure that they kept a good rotational linebacker around in Drue Tranquill for a few more years, which is especially important with Willie Gay Jr. becoming a free agent.
The Chiefs are going to have some different pieces once again but this is the dynasty that everybody sees as the standard of the league right now. As long as you have the nucleus still intact, then there is no reason to count out this team from making a three-peat. That is their ultimate goal for this upcoming season and all they have to do is prevent somebody else from crushing that dream.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
I seriously do not understand what the vision is for the Raiders this upcoming season. I get that Antonio Pierce wants to help this organization reclaim the fear status that they used to have in their history, but I didn’t think that he literally wanted to bring this team back to 1984. One thing I will give them so much credit for is signing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a really huge deal. He’s going to be paid $110 million over the next four years with $87 million guaranteed, and he honestly deserves it because he is one of the most dominant players at his position. Not only can he stuff the run, but he can attack the pocket up the middle, and pairing him up with Maxx Crosby is going to be a dangerous duo to watch out for. Losing Amik Robertson in free agency was a big loss because he was their best cornerback last year, but they can use the remaining two months to try to upgrade that position. I think that the defense is not going to be the issue with this football team, but the offense.
One of the biggest questions I’ve had about how this team is what they’re going to do at quarterback. This is what they signed up for once they released Derek Carr and instead of signing a younger dude with high potential, they’re just settling for the bridge guys that are not going to do anything in the long run. They already lost Josh Jacobs in free agency to the Packers, they are about to release Hunter Renfrow, and the most they have to show for it is signing Gardner Minshew to a $25 million deal for two years. I like him, don’t get me wrong, but the man is a backup quarterback to tell the truth! If they don’t draft someone like JJ McCarthy or Michael Penix Jr., then it just proves that this organization is a little delusional, because this team is in no position to exceed expectations. Not with Luke Getsy as your offensive coordinator, not without a star running back, not with Tom Telesco as your general manager, and not with two backup quarterbacks on your depth chart.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
There is a reason why the Chargers haven’t done much in the first two days of the free agency period: it’s because they had four guys that are owed over $25 million. The Chargers had to let one of them go eventually, and it ended up being wide receiver Mike Williams, which is going to save the team $20 million in cap space. He might be a valuable weapon to have when he is on the field, but the problem is that he’s hardly healthy and LA had to make a decision eventually. In other news, the only key signing that the Chargers made in free agency so far is running back Gus Edwards, who will most likely replace Austin Ekeler as the lead guy. I think it’s a pretty good bargain deal for a quality power back, just two years for about $6.5 million, a deal that is certainly affordable for this organization.
The Chargers are in a weird state right now. You know that when Justin Herbert comes back, they’re going to be nowhere near a rotting franchise, but they are nowhere close to playoff contention right now. At this point in the offseason, you need to make sure that he isn’t left with a bare supporting cast and that the defense doesn’t keep smelling their own farts every week. Ask me again this summer what I think about this team and I’ll have a more firm stance, but for now, I can’t even determine how well they are going to do this upcoming season.
LOS ANGELES RAMS
The Rams are another team that hasn’t done much in free agency, but if you’re Les Snead or Sean McVay right now, that’s not their main priority. They know that they are incredibly better at drafting and developing talent, and when it does come down to what happens in March, they want to make sure that their born-bred studs stay around for the long-term. Sure, they’ll sign a couple of under-the-radar players in tight end Colby Parkinson and cornerback Darious Williams to make sure those areas don’t suffer regression, but their biggest splashes have been focused on the offensive line. They started out by giving guard Kevin Dotson a three-year extension, which was well deserved because he had a renaissance season with LA after some futility years with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Their big free agent signing so far was another offensive lineman, former Lions guard Jonah Jackson, who also signed a three year deal with the team. Both are going to be guaranteed between $32 and $34 million, ensuring that Matthew Stafford will continue to have a clean pocket for as long as he is still playing.
Right now, LA knows that they have the players in place to make another promising playoff run. Stafford has rebounded from injury, they found their star running back in Kyren Williams, they have an explosive receiving duo featuring Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, and their defense has so many young studs that are ready to break out once again. All they have to do is make sure that they don’t walk into any setbacks, and they’ll be in really good shape.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
The Bills are not the only team in the AFC East that is dealing with so much money over the cap because the Dolphins are pretty close behind. They’ve lost a lot of key starters in these past two months. They’ve had to release Xavien Howard and Jerome Baker, two of their longest tenured veterans on the team. They chose not to tag Christian Wilkins and he got a bigger deal with the Raiders. Andrew Van Ginkel, their standout edge rusher from last year, signed with the Minnesota Vikings. One of their best offensive lineman signed a $100 million deal with the Carolina Panthers! Their defensive coordinator left for Philadelphia. Don’t forget that they still have to give Tua Tagovailoa a long term extension. Even though the offense is going to stay in great shape because of their talent and explosion alone, the defense is once again to look pretty nightmarish, even with Jalen Ramsey and Jevon Holland. The good news is that Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are supposed to return, but they’re both coming off of torn ACL’s, so there is a good chance that the Dolphins are going to completely lack a pass rush.
The purpose of most of the signings that Miami made in this free agency period is to just stop the bleeding and hope that they stay healthy. Their biggest one was linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who has proven to be a reliable middle linebacker, and it’s why he got a three year deal worth $30 million. They also signed a couple of defensive veterans, Jordan Poyer and Shaq Barrett, so there is at least some bit of a silver lining to all of the guys that they have lost so far.
To be quite honest, I don’t see this team getting any better than it did the year before. They’re obviously going to have a high-scoring offense and their defense will slow down inferior opponents, but we all know that they have not been able to do that whenever there are just a couple more expectations to meet. They’re definitely not going to make it past the first round if their defense continues to shuffle around like this, so the only way that Miami is going to prove any of us wrong is if they beat the teams either on their level or those that are above.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
This free agency period has given the Minnesota Vikings a mix of emotions, both positive and negative. When you look at the guys that they signed, you should have some faith that they can stay competitive. But their problem is that their losses are going to have a bigger impact, which is not good when you look at how they played last year.
The biggest loss by far was letting Kirk Cousins walk in free agency to sign a massive deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Their consolation prize was Sam Darnold, the guy that sees ghosts any time he is on the football field, who’s been a backup quarterback for the last couple of years. Maybe he can shock us all and prove that he just needed the right team and coaching staff around him, and the Vikings have both of those in place, but I’ll believe it when I see it myself. The second was inevitable, but it would have been nice to see Minnesota resolve their differences with Danielle Hunter. I get that he was demanding a lot of money and that the team couldn’t meet the asking price, but he has proven to be a game-changer when he is fully healthy. The only thing that can really make Vikings fans feel any better is if they come to an agreement with Justin Jefferson on a contract extension because he is by far the best player the team has had in a very long time.
On the bright side, some of the guys that the Vikings signed are going to do really well for this organization, especially on the defensive side. I have a lot of faith in Jonathan Greenard, coming off a 12.5 sack season and deservedly signed a four year deal worh $76 million, because he is truly one of the most underrated edge rushers in the league right now. Another under-the-radar signing was linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, an extremely versatile defender that is also an elite special teamer. He can rush the edge, he can blitz up the middle, he can play in coverage, and he can stop the run. It’s also a reunion between him and Brian Flores, who was his head coach in Miami, so he is going to get plenty of more opportunities to showcase his talents. On the offensive side of the ball, the Vikings fixed their lack of a running game by signing Aaron Jones to a one year deal for $7 million, a minimum deal for one of the best veteran backs in the game and could fill the void that had been wide open since Dalvin Cook left the team a couple of years ago.
I’ll have a bigger stance on the Vikings once the draft has concluded because if they don’t take a quarterback with the eleventh overall pick, then it shows that Minnesota has all of their confidence in either Sam Darnold or Nick Mullens, which is something that us football fans can’t grasp our minds around at the moment. They might have a lot of talent right now, but if they don’t get that guy at the most important position, they’re going to fall right into the hole that they did last year.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
New general manager Elliot Wolf has taken a very smart approach with this free agency class. Instead of going for the big splashes right away, he’s focusing on bringing back some valuable veterans that know will fit well with Jerod Mayo, along with signing a couple of low-radar free agents who can make a solid contribution. My favorite move that the Patriots made so far was resigning guard Michael Onwenu to a three year deal for $57 million that includes $38 million guaranteed, because he is by far their best offensive lineman. I’m sure that he would have had many teams trying to blow up his phone because he is an incredibly versatile lineman that is one of the best run blockers in the game, as well as a really solid pass protector, so the fact that New England was able to work something out with him was a huge win. I also like that they signed Jacoby Brissett to a one year deal, because if he’s not going to be the bridge starter for a bit of time, then he will be the backup quarterback to whomever the team decides to draft. They definitely needed someone after the trade that they made not that long ago.
After three years in New England, quarterback Mac Jones got traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth round pick. I talked about how that was going to work out for the Jaguars, but I just want to talk about this from a Patriots perspective. This move absolutely crushed me because as somebody that loved the draft pick at the time, I hate that this is how his career in New England ended. Yes, the turnovers that he committed were egregious and his decision-making was inconsistent, but a lot of quarterbacks could have failed with what he had to work with. Who thought that hiring two puppets in Matt Patricia and Joe Judge as offensive coordinators, along with giving your first round quarterback a terrible supporting cast, would completely backfire and destroy his confidence? I thought it was the right thing to do for both parties to move apart from one another and that Mac gets a fresh start, because we all knew he was not going to last there any longer than he did.
They didn’t sign too many outside free agents so far besides running back Antonio Gibson and linebacker Sione Takitaki, who I truly like and have a good amount of faith in to try to bring this team back to respectability. They might not be full-time starters, but they are good for depth and can step up if one goes down. The same goes for tight end Austin Hopper, who might not be the same player as he was when he was with Atlanta and Cleveland, but has plenty of experience and is still under 30 years old.
Other than that, New England has resigned a lot of their key guys including Hunter Henry, Anfernee Jennings, Josh Uche, Kendrick Bourne, and they tagged Kyle Dugger. One thing I know for sure is that this team is going to have more than four wins. I doubt that they make the playoffs right now, but I have a lot of faith in Jerod Mayo to at least clean up the mess that Bill Belichick made for the last few seasons.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The Saints have been in cap hell for years and shockingly enough, they didn’t really do anything in free agency just yet. The one real move that they made was add linebacker depth with Willie Gay Jr., who was a pretty big staple to that Super Bowl winning Chiefs defense last year. Other than that, they gave Demario Davis and Tyrann Mathieu new two year-deals as contract restructures, ensuring that two of their most reliable defensive veterans will continue to provide the leadership and consistency that this unit has had since Dennis Allen has taken control. The Saints also never lost anybody truly notable either, so it seems like they’re going to prioritize their offseason towards the draft. I’m not truly surprised with this approach because the front office thinks that everything is fine since they won nine games last year, and as long as the core doesn’t get blown up, they can pick up where they left off last year and possibly be even better. In reality, however, they are just an average and mediocre football team that was lucky to even finish with that record in the first place.
NEW YORK GIANTS
I personally like what the Giants have done in free agency so far. Even though it sucks that Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney are no longer on the team, general manager Joe Schoen made some reasonable signings that I think can really boost this team’s potential in 2024. The consolation prize for Saquon is not terrible because Devin Singletary not only came alive towards the end of last season, but he’s also reunited with head coach Brian Daboll, and him being the focal back will be a plus since he knows the offense that is going to be run. The biggest splash by far was trading just a second and fifth round pick for edge rusher Brian Burns, and then proceeding to give him a five year max deal worth up to $150 million with $76 million fully guaranteed. That move is easily going to make that defensive line one of the scariest in the league. Pairing him with a dominant interior guy in Dexter Lawrence and an outside linebacker set up for a breakout third season in Kayvon Thibodeaux is always a recipe for success, and their front seven has a lot of depth that can make this defense into a really formidable unit.
Besides Singletary, some of the signings for their offense are not as bad as well. I think it’s telling that they gave a one year deal to Drew Lock because if the Giants choose not to draft a quarterback with the sixth overall pick, then it shows that Daboll and Schoen want to give Daniel Jones one more chance to prove himself, before they ultimately decide what to do with his contract. They also signed a couple of decent offensive linemen in Jermain Eleumenor and Jon Runyan Jr. that can at least prove that things won’t completely combust with that unit for once. When I look at this team, it’s not a terrible roster and they have solid coaching, but we all know that their biggest question mark is still their starting quarterback. At this moment in time, Daniel Jones is heading into the biggest year of his life, or his days as a starter will be officially numbered.
NEW YORK JETS
The goal for the New York Jets this offseason is pretty simple: just make sure that Aaron Rodgers has enough help so that he doesn’t suffer another season ending injury. They ended up acquiring two offensive linemen from the Baltimore Ravens in hopes that their franchise quarterback actually has a clean pocket to work with consistently. The first was signing guard John Simpson to a two year deal worth up to $18 million, which is a pretty much a bargain for someone that only gave up one sack last year. The penalties might be somewhat of an issue, but he's still a solid piece to have for an offensive line that desperately needs blocking. The next real big move that the Jets made was getting back right tackle Morgan Moses in a trade. Even though he’s thirty-three and still under contract for two more years, he’s still a reliable tackle with little injury concerns.
I’ll give credit to Joe Douglas for seeing the biggest issue with this football team and all that we can hope for is that it doesn’t become a catastrophic nightmare like it has been in the past. I’m certainly not going to crown them as instant playoff contenders because we actually need to see how this team performs with a fully healthy Aaron Rodgers, especially when he’s at a pretty old age that is coming off a torn Achilles. Once we see how they do in the draft, then we can predict how they’re going to do this upcoming season.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Coming off the worst in-season collapse in the history of the Philadelphia Eagles, Howie Roseman knew that there were going to be a lot of changes that needed to be made with this team. Finding a new offensive and defensive coordinator were just the beginning. Now it’s time to fix the roster. Unfortunately, the Eagles will head into 2024 without a lot of their key veterans. The most important will be Fletcher Cox and Jason Kelce, who just recently retired from the NFL, two of the best that have ever played for the franchise that brought home their only Super Bowl victory in 2017. But when you look at the additions that they made, this team will sure as hell be back in the playoffs.
The biggest splash that they made was stealing Saquon Barkley away from the New York Giants by giving him a three year contract for $37.75 million that includes $25.5 million fully guaranteed, the type of contract that he’s been waiting for his whole life. The injury history might be a concern, but he’s still one of the most dynamic playmakers in the game, and he’s going to immediately make this offense into a scary unit to look out for this year. Although Kelce might be gone, most of the core within that unit is still intact, so they are going to still be in the top ten of both yards totaled and points scored.
When you look at the other side of the field, some of the moves that they made will be just as impactful. The biggest concern that Philadelphia needed to address was their lack of safety depth, which is a huge reason why this secondary was as horrible as it was last year. Kevin Byard couldn’t fit well into whatever scheme that Matt Patricia tried to run, but somebody that will do incredibly well with Vic Fangio is CJ Gardner Johnson! He is back after just one season in Detroit and will stay there for at least three more years with an extra $33 million. He was a big reason why this defense had one of the best seasons in their history just two years ago, so by bringing him back, the team can only hope that they can prove that last year was nothing more than a terrible fluke. Another huge question that I have is what their edge situation is right now. Josh Sweat and Haason Reddick are currently in trade talks right now, and while they are still on the roster, it didn’t stop Roseman from signing a standout guy in Bryce Huff to a three year deal for over $51 million! He had the best season of his career with the Jets last year, and one thing that Fangio loves to emphasize in his defensive system is heavy pressure, so I think that he will be a great fit regardless of who else is with him on the line.
If the trend of the alternating NFC East champions continues, then the Eagles are sure as hell going to be the team that is next in line. When you look at how last season played out, there wasn’t one specific thing you could point to and say that’s why everything fell apart. Heading into 2024, everybody is going to be under tremendous pressure, starting with head coach Nick Sirianni and their quarterback Jalen Hurts. If they suffer any more setbacks or collapses, then this team needs to do some serious soul-searching, and that might include massive changes that nobody anticipated when they were in the Super Bowl just one year ago.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Right when everybody else was waking up on Monday morning, the Steelers were one of the first teams in the headlines because of them signing Russell Wilson to a one year deal. He is only getting the veteran’s minimum at $1.2 million, which is the definition of a low-risk move. If he plays bad and doesn’t work out, then they can just let him go after the year and they won’t have to eat up any dead money. If he ends up working out for them, then it puts Kenny Pickett’s career on hot water because he was supposed to be the franchise quarterback. This offense is going to look pretty different, especially without Diontae Johnson. On Wednesday afternoon, they traded him and a seventh round pick to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson in a sixth round pick. I think it was inevitable that Johnson was going to get traded because he wanted a long term deal and Pittsburgh was not going to be able to give one to him, but I didn’t think that the Panthers were going to be the destination for him. Either way, the Steelers got a decent depth option at corner and they already have a solid receiving corps featuring George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth, so they’ll be able to upgrade that room more in the draft.
My favorite signing that they made however was getting linebacker Patrick Queen to sign a three year contract for $41 million. This is a deal that he definitely deserved because he is proven to be one of the best middle linebackers in the game right now. He can not only stuff the run, but he is an exceptional blitzer and his coverage skills are not completely terrible, so the Steelers are getting the versatile inside linebacker that they’ve been needing for a long time. They were decimated in that area due to injuries last year, having to bring two guys out of retirement because of their lack of depth, so this was their biggest win of free agency in my opinion.
Having said all of that, I don’t see the Steelers getting any better or worse than the year before. In reality, they are just an average and mediocre team that is only going to back into the playoffs because of another team self-destructing. They don’t have a terrible roster, but their offense never has the best player on the field, and their defense can only do so much if they’re on the field too long. We know that they’re going to win at least nine games because that’s the Mike Tomlin way, but at the same time, that doesn't mean they've accomplished anything notable.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ers
Free agency is just about reloading for the San Francisco 49ers, not adding pieces that are going to drastically impact their identity. They were supposed to add another linebacker to their already stacked room in Eric Kendricks, but he realized he wasn’t going to get starter minutes and decided to reunite with Mike Zimmer by joining the Dallas Cowboys. To be quite honest, it’s a good thing because he would have never fit well with the 49ers defense that Brandon Staley wants to implement. Yeah, you heard me right. Not only that, but he’s the new assistant head coach, so I can imagine how this is going to work out. San Francisco hasn’t really done much in free agency besides adding depth options, mainly on the defensive line. Leonard Floyd is always a strong fit to have coming off of the edge, Yetur Gross-Matos is always somebody that can fit well into a backup role, and Jordan Elliott has proven to be a powerful run stopper. Other than that, it’s nothing but under-the-radar signings that aren’t going to be talked about as much.
As long as the core is still in place, then the 49ers are still going to be the instant favorites to win the NFC barring injury. They know they have bigger priorities ahead of them, but their time is running out quicker than they would like.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
The Seahawks are another team that surprisingly hasn’t done much in free agency. One of the only outside signings that they have made so far is bringing in safety Rayshawn Jenkins to replace either Jamal Adams or Quandre Diggs. Besides that, all they have done is given Noah Fant and Leonard Williams contract extensions for two more years. For a team that let their two starting linebackers and their starting guard walk away in free agency, and that cut their two starting safeties, you would think that Seattle is more active during this time. The silver lining is that they already have a plethora of young talent that are ready to take that next step and up their games, so maybe Mike MacDonald is just trying to give this unit a new identity and prioritize the draft. Either way, it’s still an interesting approach that can be risky for this type of team.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
For general manager Jason Licht, his biggest priority for this offseason has been making sure that his biggest stars from last year are going to stay around to maintain their contender status. They started out by placing the franchise tag on their best defensive player Antoine Winfield Jr., but what to do about Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans? It took a bit of time, but he was able to work out a contract extension for the both of them. The future hall of fame wide receiver is going to get a two year deal for $52 million, while their renaissance quarterback is going to get a bargain deal at $100 million over the next three years, which is nothing compared to some of the new contracts that other quarterbacks have been getting over the last few seasons. The Bucs also brought back their star linebacker Lavonte David for at least another season, and it could quite potentially be his last in the NFL, so this deal will guarantee that he finishes his career in Tampa.
The 2024 season is going to be even harder for the Bucs to repeat as NFC South champions because not only are the Saints still a thorn in their side, but the Falcons were able to lock up their franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins, which they hope can launch their offense into a different stratosphere than they’ve been in since 2016. Licht can only hope that Baker Mayfield picks up where he left off last season and doesn’t revert back to what he was in Carolina, or else it is going to be a move that the team is going to instantly regret. Baker is going to be under a lot of pressure, but now that he has his confidence and swagger back, I believe that he’s a completely different quarterback now and that he’ll do whatever he can to make sure that his team is back in the playoffs.
TENNESSEE TITANS
Of all of the teams that I’ve observed so far in free agency, the Tennessee Titans are one of the few that is spending the most money. I said that once they hired Brian Callahan to be their next head coach, that the biggest priority for this organization had to be surrounding Will Levis with a lot of help so that he can progress into a true franchise quarterback. On the first day of the tampering period, they found their successor to Derrick Henry and gave Tony Pollard a three year deal for $24 million. I’m not the biggest fan of the signing since he had a tough time bouncing back from that ankle injury he suffered in the playoffs against the 49ers two seasons ago, but Tennessee also has a back on the rise in Tyjae Spears that can pick up the slack and be a heavily featured weapon. It’s going to suck without the King in the backfield, but things were going to come to a break eventually, and it was time for the Titans to take on a different identity.
Defensively, they found a solid number one cornerback option in Chidobe Awuzie and gave him a three year contract for $36 million that includes $23 million guaranteed. Personally, I think the deal is definitely a little steep as well for somebody that’s been battling through different injuries over the last couple of years, but he’s definitely a better option than some of the other cornerbacks that Tennessee has reached for in the past.
Their biggest move by far was stunning the NFL world by signing wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a huge contract. The reports said that New England and Jacksonville were the two front-runners, but general manager Ran Carthron stepped in and gave him a four year contract for $92 million that includes $50 million guaranteed! The only reason why I say that this is a gross overpayment is that his contract is going to end when he is 34 years old, and more importantly, he didn’t exactly have the most dynamic season with Jacksonville last year. I think that he’s a solid short-term signing that can help Levis develop into a sharp quarterback, but that gives Tennessee a pretty short window. DeAndre Hopkins is not getting any older, Tony Pollard is still not fully healthy, their offensive line is still an issue, and their defense didn’t improve overnight. I know that free agency is all about overpaying players to make sure that they get the stars that they need, but the Titans truly think that they’re going to catapult themselves into a completely higher tier, and I don’t believe that this team is ready for the playoffs just yet.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
The Washington Commanders have been extremely active in free agency, but when I look at these signings, they’re either average at best or confusing at its worst. Most of the guys that they’ve brought in have played with Dan Quinn at some point in his coaching career, and those that didn’t are not going to be guaranteed that they bounce back into their prime.
The most notable signing that Washington has made so far is giving running back Austin Ekeler a two year deal worth over $11 million, which I believe is a little too much for a running back that lost so much of his burst and quickness at 28 years old. The one signing on their offense that I actually like is center Tyler Biadasz hoping to strengthen the interior, but my big concern is that he can adapt to a different scheme and quarterback than what he has been comfortable with in Dallas. Other than that, these signings have just been really confusing. Marcus Mariota is somehow going to be the backup quarterback, guard Nick Allegreti got a steep three year contract for $16 million, and they made Zach Ertz the new starting tight end over Logan Thomas. For an offense that is going to be run by Kliff Kingsbury with a rookie quarterback most likely starting for the entire season, I can’t honestly quite understand what their vision is at this point in time.
Defensively, more or less the same. The moves look solid on paper. They signed the leader in tackles in Bobby Wagner, a versatile linebacker in Frankie Luvu, and a safety hoping to break through a long slump in Jeremy Chinn. But it also shows that this defense is only going to go from worst in the league to just average at best. Their biggest issue has been trying to improve the defensive line, and instead they gave Dorance Armstrong a three year deal for $45 million! I don’t care that he did well when Dan Quinn was his defensive coordinator, you overpaid him by about five or ten million dollars!
I’m certainly not going to go on record and tell you that the Commanders are still going to be one of the worst teams in the league. I’m just saying that if you have this much cap space and plenty of opportunities to get game-changing stars, then you have to take the chances when you have them. Washington might not be a complete dumpster fire anymore, but they’re not exactly catapulting themselves into playoff contention either. This just reminds me of the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles “Dream Team” season, with the only difference being that the Commanders have done nothing in the past to make you believe that they can be a good team.
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