(Photo by Jeffrey Beall)
As a continuation of my previous edition NFL Free Agency Round-Up, let’s analyze more key signings of the NFL’s new year. All signing information is via NFL.com.
CB Malcolm Butler signs with the Tennessee Titans: 5 years, $61 million
After he was benched in Super Bowl LII, it was clear that Butler would not return to the New England Patriots for the 2018 season. Despite the sour end to Butler’s Patriots career, one look at Butler’s new contract reminds us of just how improbable his story has been. Butler was an undrafted rookie free agent out of West Alabama who emerged as the hero of Super Bowl XLIX before putting together several seasons of high quality starting play. 2017 was a down year for Butler in comparison to his 2015 Pro Bowl Campaign, but nonetheless he played nearly 98% of the snaps for a team that went 13-3 during the regular season. The cornerback market is an expensive one, so the price tag is reasonable for a Tennessee team who needed an upgrade at the position. They just have to hope Butler can recapture his 2015 form in his new environment.
RB Jonathan Stewart signs with the New York Giants: 2 years, $6.9 million
From the moment the Carolina Panthers drafted Christian McCaffrey, the writing was on the wall for Stewart. Though 2017 wasn’t an efficient campaign for Stewart, the long-time Panther did churn out 700 yards from scrimmage and 7 TDs. Stewart has had a long and productive career, but RBs of age 30+ tend to have a short shelf life in the NFL. The Giants likely won’t expect Stewart to be a workhorse; in fact, I surmise from this that the G-men wanted to bring in a veteran to help teach a young RB or two about the workings of the NFL game. Saquon Barkley, anyone?
CB Trumaine Johnson signs with the New York Jets: 5 years, $72.5 Million
After securing a pair of promising young safeties in Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye in last year’s draft, the Jets have added a veteran presence to the cornerback position. A third round pick by the Rams back in 2012, Johnson has blossomed into an extremely productive player. His 42 passes defensed over the past three years are impressive, and his 10 interceptions are nothing to scoff at. At 6’2”, Johnson can effectively match up with any receiver in the NFL. Remember what I said earlier about the cornerback market being an expensive one? That reality is evident in this signing, but with a lot of cap room, I applaud the Jets for making an upgrade.
DE Muhammad Wilkerson signs with the Green Bay Packers: 1 year, $5 million
This contract is a win-win for both teams. Wilkerson is betting on himself to revitalize his career after an unceremonious dismissal from the Jets, and the Packers get an extremely talented defensive lineman at well below market price. The 2015 Pro-Bowler with two double-digit sack seasons under his belt should pair nicely with Mike Daniels.
QB Teddy Bridgewater signs with the New York Jets: 1 year, $5-15 million (incentive dependent)
Considering that the Jets traded up to the third pick of the 2018 draft (likely to land either Sam Darnold or Josh Rosen), the team doesn’t intend for Teddy to serve as a franchise QB. Instead, Bridgewater will be a stop-gap if the newly-drafted rookie signal caller isn’t ready. It seems long ago that Bridgewater was the next big thing in Minnesota.
RB Dion Lewis signs with the Tennessee Titans: 4 years, $20 million
After getting run over by the Patriots in the 2017 divisional round of the playoffs, the Titans have poached yet another one of New England’s players. From the outset of free agency, it was clear that the Patriots were not going to break the bank for Lewis because they thought his skill set was replaceable. Evidently this was true, as the Patriots were unwilling to pony-up for even a modest five million annually. Lewis will slot in nicely as a shifty third down complement to Derrick Henry’s bruising rushing style.
RB Carlos Hyde signs with the Cleveland Browns: 3 years, $15 million
After topping 1,000 scrimmage yards in consecutive seasons, the Ohio State product has proven himself to be a solid NFL running back. Hyde comes over to the Browns as part of the wave of Veteran influx to Cleveland that includes the likes of Tyrod Taylor, Jarvis Landry, and Damarious Randall. This signing makes it more likely that the Browns will not select Saquon Barkley with either the 1st or 4th pick in the draft, increasing the likelihood that they draft a QB and a blue-chip defender. Hyde is an upgrade over Isaiah Crowell, and he should find some success behind a solid offensive line. Additionally, the modest contract will have little effect on Cleveland’s league-leading cap room.
OT Nate Solder signs with the New York Giants: 4 years, $62 million
Since being selected in the first round of the 2011 draft by the Patriots, Solder has been a rock-solid protector of Tom Brady’s blindside. Effective offensive tackle play is a coveted commodity in the NFL, and Solder’s hefty $15.5 million per year price tag reflects that. The Giants’ offensive line has been abysmal for the past several years, so this is a key signing for the G-men as they attempt to rebound from a putrid 2017 season.
RB Jerick Mckinnon signs with the San Francisco 49ers: 4 years, $30 million
In 2017, Jerick McKinnon emerged as a productive dual-threat player at the RB position, logging nearly 1,000 yards from scrimmage as he formed a dynamic duo with Latavius Murray. McKinnon has never had the opportunity to star in a feature role, which he will now have with the San Francisco 49ers as Jimmy Garoppolo’s new backfield mate. He has a slightly different skill set than Carlos Hyde, but it remains to be seen if he is an upgrade from the recent 49ers departee.
Комментарии