Superlatives from NFL Free Agency: The Best and Most Mysterious Moves Yet

We’re four days into NFL free agency and nearly 100 of my top 150 players are off the board, along with dozens of other signings and a handful of trades. Here are my biggest insights from the first week of the new league year.

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Losing four players from the front seven of your squad can be devastating for many teams. Vikings edge players Danielle Hunter, DJ Wonnum and Marcus Davenport and linebacker Jordan Hicks all left for various deals elsewhere.

But Minnesota had a plan and replaced them with Jonathan Greenard (two years younger than Hunter), Andrew Van Ginkel (young, up-and-coming player) and Blake Cashman, whose football IQ, range and ability to slip blocks got him into a three-down create inside linebacker. and an upgrade over Hicks. That trio gives the Vikings a better defensive package going forward than what went out the door. Sometimes plans need to flow, and the Vikings’ decision makers made me believe in their evaluation skills, which I previously had some doubts about.

I also like the move to Sam Darnold for $10 million on a one-year deal, while leaving Kirk Cousins ​​to Atlanta for $45 million per year for four years. The money saved can still be used by upgrading their third wide receiver spot and extending Justin Jefferson at wideout.

Without a doubt, this must be what GM Jason Licht did to the Buccaneers’ roster this past week. No GM has protected their roster and re-signed their core guys like Licht. After killing Pro Bowl safety Antoine Winfield Jr. had tapped, he re-signed quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Mike Evans and found a way to keep linebacker Lavonte David. Licht also brought back defensive tackle Greg Gaines and safety Jordan Whitehead, who was part of the 2020 Super Bowl championship team. The band reunites just in time.

Bucs GM Jason Licht calls this one of “the greatest free agents of all time” to play players like Mike Evans, Antoine Winfield Jr. and re-signing Lavonte David – players who could be in the Hall of Fame.

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 13, 2024

Licht also acquired a third-round pick to replenish his roster with some youth on draft day by trading cornerback Carlton Davis (who had a hefty cap number in the final year of his contract) to the Detroit Lions. In my opinion that was a smart move. Sportsbooks have made the Atlanta Falcons clear favorites to win the NFC South after adding Cousins ​​and others, but I’d still favor the Bucs after they maintained continuity.

If this were a game of old-fashioned “Battleship,” the Ravens’ ship would be at the very least veering starboard and perhaps on the verge of tipping over. Considering the number of free agents Baltimore had pending, this was to be expected, as I wrote last week.

The Ravens kept Justin Madubuike and added Derrick Henry, but they have already lost Patrick Queen, John Simpson, Gus Edwards, Geno Stone and Ronald Darby, while Jadeveon Clowney, Odell Beckham Jr. and Kevin Zeitler are still on the market. Add to that the decision to move on from starting right tackle Morgan Moses (let’s call this “friendly fire”), and they’ve taken their share of hits.

Rebuilding this roster will challenge GM Eric DeCosta and his staff at the highest level. They always have a plan in place if something happens, so I have no doubt their answer will be clear. I’m just concerned that this excessive amount of change will lead to a natural adjustment period, which may take some time. Nobody wants to turn a renovation into a renovation. Time will tell how much change a roster can absorb.

The Giants added proven but still emerging players to the offensive line: former Green Bay Packers guard Jon Runyan Jr. and former Las Vegas Raiders guard/tackle Jermaine Eluemunor. It’s rare to add two starting offensive linemen who have a clear body of work. These were two of the top five linemen on our free-agent board. Eluemunor was very good at right tackle for the Raiders in 2023, but can also play guard. That flexibility is valuable, considering the problems Evan Neal tackles in the right way. Runyan has excellent initial speed and the ability to involve his lower body in contact, which is rarely seen anymore in our world of spread offenses.

Oh yeah: Adding Brian Burns — who was my top-ranked player before he was franchise-tagged and the closest thing to Micah Parsons I’ve seen on tape recently — for second- and fifth-round picks is like adding a first-round talent on draft day. Any team would make that trade. The Giants struck in an opportune manner.

Yes, they lost Saquon Barkley and Xavier McKinney, two of my favorite players in this class, but it’s hard to justify paying big money at running backs and safety for a team that isn’t anywhere near contending. Improving the offensive line and landing Burns will help them immensely.

Favorite signing

Fantasy owners, take note. I liked the Los Angeles Chargers and added Edwards from the Ravens. I had thought all along that Barkley would be a culture upgrade for new coach Jim Harbaugh and his vision for the Chargers’ new offense. But as Barkley’s contract numbers increased, Edwards became more attractive.

He brings a full toolbox and good production with slightly less dynamic athleticism. The Ravens’ running backs committee kept Edwards’ grades down, but he’s a better player than that. He’ll be a 235-pound bellcow for a Chargers team looking to add toughness and physicality to its new identity.

Most confusing signing

I wasn’t surprised at how many expensive veteran safety items were released before release. I am shocked that teams are still adding veteran safeties who have marginal athletic ability. The Chicago Bears’ signing of Kevin Byard was a prime example. The Philadelphia Eagles bet on Byard at the trade deadline last season, acquiring him from the Tennessee Titans. Not only did it not work, but it went very badly.

In a passing league, it is very difficult to hide players who struggle in space, whether in coverage or tackling. There is no longer a ‘box safety’ position. Byard was a great player a few years ago, but he’s clearly lost a step. Bears fans have to hope things turn out differently when he joins his third team in six months.

Deepest positions remaining

Rarely is it possible not at all to find quality edge pass rushers or offensive perimeter speed on the open market. This year, there are options for both on the market, even after the free tree has been picked of its low-hanging fruit. Clowney and Van Noy — who each signed after camps opened last fall — and Chase Young and Bud Dupree can all still contribute to teams looking to upgrade and rush the passer. Teams probably won’t have to pay retail prices for it either.

The same can be said about wide receiver. Vastly underrated Lions wideout Josh Reynolds can still make an impact as a solid WR2 or WR3. Beckham, who everyone loves to hate, is still very explosive and can change games. I realize this year’s draft is chock full of good young prospects, which could impact the market, but these guys are proven commodities who could deliver great returns at the right price.

The value phase has arrived

There is usually a lull in free agency after the initial flurry of big-money signings and press conferences, before the market settles into the ‘finding value’ phase. As far as I see, the market has already reached that stage. I see players willing to take less than premium deals to avoid being left without a seat when the music stops.

Guys like Gaines (back to the Bucs for one year, $3.5 million), Zack Baun (to the Eagles for one year, $3.5 million), Nick Harris (to the Seattle Seahawks for one year, $2.51 million) and Saahdiq Charles (to the Titans for one year, $2.5 million) could normally linger on the market for weeks or months after their markets failed to materialize. Instead, they signed quickly and teams were able to find some value in those deals.

I appreciate agents for doing their homework – most likely at the company’s Indianapolis location, during meetings with teams – and team builders for identifying down-the-line guys who fit them. These value deals are a great way to build depth and have contributors ready when injuries strike.

Are teams getting wiser?

With the $30 million increase in the salary cap, teams are spending money freely, but I think teams – this year more than other years – are also spending money more wisely. Normally at this stage I would have questions about various signings where the plan seems difficult to justify. I have very few of those question marks through four days of the free-agent shopping season.

My goal in free agency was always to fill needs and check as many boxes as I could, within my limits, before the draft. This allows you to draft without worrying too much about needs, more often than not using the best players available rather than reaching for worse players in the early rounds. This has been a proven philosophy for years, and I think teams are following it and using valuable signings to fill gaps and add flexibility.

(Photos of, from left, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Brian Burns and Kevin Byard: Adam Bettcher, Grant Halverson, Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)