(Photo By Keith Allison)
The 2018 league year has officially begun, and the free agency period is under way. During this three part free agency series, we will analyze all of the big deals that occur throughout the course of the week.
Free agency is one of the two definitive events that reshape the landscape of the NFL from year to year; good free agent signings can transform a pretender into a contender overnight. Conversely, bad signings can fill a team’s cap with dead money and plunge their franchise deep into the bowels of the NFL. Free agency is a key opportunity for teams to add high level talent to elevate their roster and fill their holes from the previous season. All signing and contract information is via NFL.com.
QB Kirk Cousins signs with the Minnesota Vikings: 3 Years, $86 Million
I absolutely called this one back in my blog last Sunday. This deal is a win-win for both Cousins and the Vikings in terms of its structure and its implications. The style of the deal is unprecedented, as the contract is fully guaranteed for Cousins. The three year period will also allow Cousins to hit the open market should he choose to do so at age 32, which positions him for another big contract if he does well with his time in Minnesota. For the Vikings, this deal is perfect in that it fills the a hole in an otherwise outstanding roster. With Cousins dishing it to Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and Kyle Rudolph, the Vikings are in a great position in the NFC. Cousins makes the team legitimate Super Bowl contenders for a three year window, which is an extremely long period of time in the dynamic NFL.
CB Richard Sherman signs with the San Francisco 49ers: 3 Years, $39 Million
As one NFC West team crumbles, another is built from its ashes. The Seattle Seahawks were a force to be reckoned with in the NFC from about 2012-2014, with the highlight of their reign coming in their dominant Super Bowl 48 victory. Richard Sherman was one of the key cogs of that run, and as the Seahawks shed their feathers, Sherman will now ply his trade as a wily veteran for an extremely young 49ers team. With Jimmy Garoppolo in the fold as a franchise cornerstone and young defenders like Solomon Thomas set as building blocks, Sherman will provide leadership and experience for the growth of the young team. The slightly expensive contract isn’t a concern given the 49ers’ abundant cap room.
WR Allen Robinson signs with the Chicago Bears: 3 years, $42 Million
The Bears had one of the weakest wide receiver corps in the league last year, sporting guys like Kendall Wright as their number one threat. This is an immense need-based signing for Chicago, and Robinson was one of the league’s most dynamic threats with his size and speed before his ACL injury last year.
QB Case Keenum signs with the Denver Broncos: 2 Years, $36 Million
This one feels like a consolation prize. Keenum was efficient with the Vikings, but he has never had the look of a franchise QB at any point in his career. The Broncos missed out on their prized horse in Cousins, and Keenum is simply a signing to save face. The Broncos may give Paxton Lynch another shot, but don’t expect them to win a Super Bowl with Keenum at the helm.
WR Sammy Watkins signs with the Kansas City Chiefs: 3 years, $48 Million
Watkins is a talented receiver, but the Chiefs overpaid here. Tyreek Hill is arguably a better version of Watkins as a speedy deep threat, so this one is a bit of a head scratcher. It is possible that they want to surround Mahomes with as much talent as possible to make his transition into a starting role seamless, but Watkins has never been a consistent chain mover. He is a solid addition, but not at the exorbitant price tag.
OG Andrew Norwell signs with the Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 years, $66.5 Million
Lineman can get paid too! Norwell has been rock solid with the Panthers for much of his career, and the Jags clearly are interested in stocking up their interior so that they can pound opposing defenses into submission with the likes of Leonard Fournette. It’s a tad bit of a high price for a guard and not a tackle, but with solid amounts of cap space, the Jags were in a good position to sign a player who serves as an immediate and long-term upgrade.
WR Paul Richardson signs with the Washington Redskins: 5 years, $40 Million
Richardson is another Seattle sendoff who never quite panned out over the course of his rookie contract. He has speed and talent, though, and Alex Smith has had recent success with small and speedy deep threat receivers. For a wide receiver, $8 million annually is a pedestrian price. This is a solid signing.
WR Danny Amendola signs with the Miami Dolphins: 2 years, $12 Million
Amendola is a gritty slot receiver best suited as the third or fourth threat in an offense. He has never been spectacular in the regular season, instead earning his stripes with heroic feats during the playoffs. I worry that the Dolphins are miscasting Amendola as a top guy, but they need to fill Landry’s role, so the signing makes sense. Don’t expect a ton of regular season production from this veteran, but look out for Amendola if the Dolphins sneak into the playoffs as a wildcard in the AFC.
QB Sam Bradford signs with the Arizona Cardinals: 1 year, $20 Million
Sam Bradford has become the king of one year QB contracts. He isn’t the long-term answer in Arizona, but he can serve as a serviceable stop-gap to help keep the Cardinals respectable in Coach Steve Wilks’ first year as Head Coach while the Cardinals search for their long term answer.
TE Jimmy Graham signs with the Green Bay Packers: 3 Years, $30 Million
With Rodgers throwing the football, Graham could return to his Saints form. As long as Graham isn’t miscast as a blocker, he should succeed. There will be plenty of targets to go around as a result of Jordy Nelson’s departure.
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