Free agency is going to have a major effect on the NFL draft and while I’ll start working on the next Mock Draft here soon, I thought I’d break down free agency a little bit before I do. I’m also waiting a little longer to start on the Mock Draft 3.0 because there are still some free agent dominos to fall that could have an effect. Where do Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson end up? That’s going to have an effect on the draft plans of teams like the Giants and Steelers. There are other guys who can affect the draft needs of teams because if you find a veteran starter you don’t have to draft for need. There are starting players like LT Cam Robinson, OG Teven Jenkins, and OG Brandon Scherff still unsigned. At WR, there are starters like Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs, and Keenan Allen available. Potential defensive starters at every level are still out there too; Edge Azeez Ojulari, DE Calais Campbell, LB EJ Speed, CB Rasul Douglas, CB Asante Samuel Jr, and S Justin Simmons. These guys are likely short term fill in players but if a team like New England signs Robinson or Cooper, it changes the projections in the draft. If the Seahawks sign Teven Jenkins, their dire need at OG is a little less pressing, although they probably still need one. Douglas, Samuel, and Simmons could allow a team to skip a first-round reach in the secondary and draft best player available instead.
Team needs have already changed through free agency signings and some major trades but some trades may still be to come. The Bears draft strategy is completely altered with OGs Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson and free agent center Drew Dalman on board. Their need for defensive linemen isn’t as dire either with DT Grady Jarrett and DE Dayo Odeyingbo added up front. I don’t agree with every move teams made and I’ll point those out as I go. I’m going to start with a more team centric approach and then address some individual moves I like or don’t like, maybe one or two I hate. Let’s gets started.
New England Patriots
I’m not just starting with them because it’s my team. They had the most cap space to work with and after spending a ton of money, they still have a ton of money. Their strategy to this off season became clear pretty quickly, spend big in free agency to fix the defense, I’m guessing they focus on the offense in the draft. I like that strategy because building a young offense around Drake Maye feels like the right move.
The defensive makeover.
There are a lot of moves here so stick with me. They gave DT Milton Williams $26 million a year. He was the biggest free agent to actually hit free agency and the Patriots went over the top to steal hi from the Panthers who thought they had him. He’s going to start, hopefully alongside Christian Barmore, who’s coming back after having blood clot issues last year. These two will be aggressive, attacking DTs in the middle just like Vrabel and new defensive coordinator Terrell Williams want. The Patriots pass rush was awful last year and Milton Williams should really help.
They didn’t stop with Williams to juice the pass rush. They signed Harold Landry after the Titans cut him for salary cap purposes. Landry isn’t what he was at his peak but he’s still a solid pass rusher and he’s a Vrabel guy. They overpaid but he’s a culture setter for this team and after last year’s debacle, they need some of those guys too. He’s also still a better edge rusher than anyone they had on the team except Keion White. White, Williams, Barmore, and Landry will be a lot better than last year’s group. They also made a smaller signing bringing in K’Lavon Chaisson on a one-year deal after he resurrected his career last season in Las Vegas. I’ve never been a Chaisson fan but if they use him as a pass rush specialist, like Vegas did, he can be a useful player and I’m not upset with his one-year, $5 million deal, they can afford it. The other addition up front was getting a big man to play a more traditional nose tackle spot. Khyiris Tonga is a 6’2 337 lbs. brick wall who will make their run defense better and help there LB group play better.
Speaking of the LB group, after re-signing LB Christian Elliss the team also went out and signed LB Robert Spillane from the Raiders. These two are changing the profile of the LB unit of the Patriots. Smaller, faster, more athletic players at the position give the defense more flexibility. Spillane plays like a madman and they need that type of attitude. The Patriots have overhauled the front seven and it was long overdue. This is a more modern unit and should seriously improve the defense.
They didn’t stop with the front seven. They signed CB Carlton Davis to be Christian Gonzalez’s running mate and now this team has two ass kicking man-to-man corners. They could be the best staring duo in the league. They also added a deep safety depth piece in Marcus Epps. He was injured last year but he gives them a good deep coverage safety, which is a skill set they really didn’t have at safety currently.
They mostly struck out on offense.
The Patriots didn’t do much on offense but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. They offered LT Ronnie Stanley and WR Chris Godwin more money than they re-signed with their respective teams for. The Patriots didn’t cheap out, there just weren’t a lot of great offensive free agents and the ones they wanted to spend money on decided to stay home. I can’t fault Stanley and Godwin; they are legecy players with their organizations. The Patriots never had a chance to bid on Tee Higgins because the Bengals franchised him and have been unreasonable in their demands for trades for both Higgins and Trey Hendrickson.
The Patriots did sign RT Morgan Moses from the Jets. He’ll be 34 next season but he’s always been a solid RT and had a good year in New York. He stabilizes the right side of line because he’s the RT, no questions asked, and that means Mike Onwenu can play RG and not be moved around. Otherwise on offense they grabbed depth pieces in free agency. QB Josh Dobbs replaces Jacoby Brissett as the veteran QB, WR Mack Hollins is a dirty work guy, and OL Wes Schweitzer is a versatile interior backup player who will make the younger interior o-linemen earn their roster spots.
What they could have still do?
The two positions the Patriots haven’t addressed are the two positions that were their biggest holes going into the off season. LT and WR still need major upgrades. They wanted Stanley and Godwin but when they struck out, they luckily didn’t overpay for other players. They didn’t overspend on Dan Moore or Jaylen Moore at LT and they didn’t offer Seattle the moon for DK Metcalf in a trade. Amari Cooper is still a viable option at WR but they shouldn’t break the bank for him or give too long of a deal. Cam Robinson would be a stop-gap LT but is also not worth overspending on. The Patriots free agency frenzy gives their defense a makeover, filled one hole at RT and brings clarity to their draft strategy. Draft a LT, WR, maybe a center prospect or a rangy safety and then some depth pieces. They could still grab a veteran OG or center if they find one like, C Andre James, although that may be too many former Raiders for my liking. I wouldn’t mind if they give Azeez Ojulari an offer, I think he’s a good pass rusher and you can never have too many of those. He would also be insurance against Landry’s potential drop off.
Chicago Bears
Ben Johnson clearly values the trenches.
The Bears didn’t wait for the start of free agency to start fixing their offensive line. They pulled off trades for LG Joe Thuney and RG Jonah Jackson before free agency even started. Ben Johnson is no stranger to a great offensive line and he clearly looked at the interior of the Bears line and said that’s not going to cut it. The team followed that up by signing the best center in free agency, Drew Dalman. Dalman isn’t the biggest or strongest guy but he’s a very solid center. Some of Dalman’s physical limitations will be negated playing between Thuney and Jackson. The paid him the second highest center contract in football and while he’s not that good, they overpaid for the major upgrade. When you have cap space it’s fine if you have to over spend to fix a major problem. The Patriots did it to fix their defensive line, the Bears did it to fix their offensive line. Having competent play inside will help their young OTs Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright. If the Bears decide to draft a new LT because they aren’t convinced Jones is the answer, please have them call Eliot Wolf with the Patriots, he has a draft pick or two he’ll give you for Jones.
Defensive line additions.
Ben Johnson didn’t stop with the offensive line. The two other big signings the Bears made were DE Dayo Odeyingbo and DT Grady Jarrett. The paid a premium for both guys and it’s understandable in the case of Odeyingbo, less so with Jarrett. Odeyingbo will be 26 next season, he’s been a solid player in Indianapolis and he fits the profile of a Dennis Allen DE. He’s 6’5 276 lbs. and he’s a pocket pusher. He’s never played opposite of a DE as good as Montez Sweat so that should help him. Betting big on a solid 26-year-old DE that he can take another step forward in a defense he fits well is a gamble worth making. Giving a soon-to-be 32-year-old DT a 3-year, $43.5 million deal is not worth it. Grady Jarrett has been slowing down as a player for a couple of years. At one time, he was the type of penetrating DT Dennis Allen could use but he’s not that guy any more and this contract isn’t going to age well. There were other DTs I think they should have made a play for instead. Poona Ford got less money from the Rams, Levi Onwuzurike got a one-year $5.5 million deal to stay in Detroit, either of them would have been money better spent.
The only other one of note.
The only other outside player acquisition worth noting is WR Olamide Zaccheus. He comes in as the much younger replacement slot receiver for Keenan Allen. I like the move because while Zaccheus is a good player and he won’t draw targets away from DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. Moore and Odunze need to be your playmakers and Zaccheus is the third or fourth option on any pass play. Keenan Allen was so good at getting open but he isn’t a dynamic playmaker at this point and it limits your offense.
What they could still do and draft thoughts.
This free agency period really filled the major holes on the roster and that’s great, it means they are open to anything in the draft. Like I mentioned before, if there is a LT at 10th overall, they can draft him and trade Braxton Jones and not have to worry about his upcoming free agency and whether he’s worth a second contract or not. They should look for some depth at interior offensive line. Thuney and Jackson are huge upgrades at guard but Thuney is going to be 33 next year and Jonah Jackson hasn’t been the picture of health throughout his career. In the veteran market they could look for some safety depth, Kevin Byard is going to be 32 next season. They did also lose backup LB Jack Sanborn who was a useful player so getting some depth there either in free agency or the draft would be wise.
Buffalo Bills
They are keeping their window open.
The Bills moved on from Von Miller for salary cap reasons and because he’s not very good anymore. So, they went out and signed Joey Bosa to a one-year deal. If Bosa is healthy, that’s a BIG if, he makes their pass rush rotation quite good on the edge. Greg Rosseau, who got a hefty contract extension himself, and AJ Epenesa (he was re-signed last year), are two good, young DEs, Bosa brings a veteran presence. It should help Bosa that Rosseau and Epenesa can take on the bulk of the snaps and he can be used only to do the things he does best.
The other move the Bills made was replacing Amari Cooper, who they traded for at the deadline last year, with WR Josh Palmer from the Chargers. Cooper had bad year last year and he didn’t transition well to Buffalo, Palmer will certainly be and upgrade from that version of Cooper. Palmer isn’t a star but he’s a useful, outside WR who should pair nicely on the outside with Keon Coleman, they have different skill sets. And those two holding down the outside WR spots allows Khalil Shakir to play the slot, where he’s most valuable. Palmer’s presence should allow them to lessen the focus on TE Dalton Kincaid, who struggled to become a primary target last season.
Depth pieces and draft thoughts.
They also added DE Michael Hoecht and DT Larry Ogunjobi who add veteran depth to the defensive front. Both guys will miss the first six games of next year with PED suspensions but they will be valuable pieces once they are available. If history is any indication, week seven or so is when Joey Bosa will be banged up so Hoecht will be especially valuable. In the draft, this team can go anywhere. This roster is pretty sound. The secondary is probably where they need to look for help but they could still re-sign a veteran like Rasul Douglas, he’s been here before, or Asante Samuel Jr. They will draft best player available and let whoever it is, ease into their playing time because they don’t need them to start right away.
Carolina Panthers
There’s a fine line between spending and stupid spending.
The first thing that stands out is the re-signing of CB Jaycee Horn. I’m all for rewarding your good young players when you find someone worth investing in, but they made Horn the highest paid CB in history with a 4-year, $100 million contract. It’s a serious overpay because while Horn is a good CB, he’s nowhere near being the best in the game. I feel sorry for the Texans when they have to negotiate with Derek Stingley Jr., his contract demands just skyrocketed. Then the Panthers reacted to losing DT Milton Williams at the 11th hour by overpaying Tershawn Wharton from the Chiefs. Wharton had a good year but 3 years, $54 million was over the top. I think they will live to regret this one. They actually made a much smarter signing getting NT Bobby Brown III from the Rams, he’s a good young player who will help them. The 2-year, $20 million deal for Patrick Jones II from the Vikings might have been a bit too much but they do need edge help and Jones had a solid year in Minnesota. They just have to hope he wasn’t a decent player made much better by Brian Flores’ scheme they need him to be the best version of himself in Carolina.
The best deal they made and the smart deals.
S Tre’von Moehrig is an underrated safety who can really help this defense. It’s a big contract but it’s a big upgrade in the secondary for them. Moehrig will make like easier and cover for a lot of mistakes made in front of him. They have been going with middling talent at safety for years, they finally invested in a difference maker. I also really like the Rico Dowdle signing at RB. I wasn’t a fan of Dowdle as a starter in Dallas last season but here, he’s a back up to Chuba Hubbard and a pretty good one. That will make the offense a little easier for Bryce Young as there won’t be such a drop off when Hubbard comes out of the game. I mentioned the Bobby Brown III signing I really like and picking up his Rams teammate LB Christian Rozeboom is a solid move too. Rozeboom isn’t a needle mover but he’s a solid LB and they need the depth.
Draft thoughts.
They mostly spent money on the defense in free agency and that was mostly in the front seven, Moehrig being the one big exception being added. They still need edge rush help and a CB opposite Jaycee Horn. They didn’t add anyone except Rico Dowdle on the offensive side of the ball and they are a prime team to draft WR Tetairoa McMillan or TE Tyler Warren early in round one. They are looking to do the same thing the Patriots did, sign defensive free agents, and build a young offense around your young QB in the draft. I can’t argue with the strategy; I can argue with a few of the moves here.
Minnesota Vikings
Beef up the lines.
The interior of the Vikings offensive and defensive lines left a lot to be desired last year so they attacked those areas in free agency. C Ryan Kelly is an aging player but he’s a massive upgrade over Garrett Bradbury, a guy the team has wanted to move on from for a while. The Kelly deal is only two years so he’s a stop-gap but a valuable one. The big money was spent on his Colts teammate RG Will Fries. Fries missed most of last season with an injury but the Vikings don’t seem worried, they gave him a 5-year, $88 million deal. The good news is Fries is only going to be 27 this year so they are getting him in his prime.
They also decided to beef up the interior of the defensive line with DT Jonathan Allen and DT Javon Hargrave. This is far more suspect than the moves on the interior of the line. Allen is 30 and was cut for salary cap purposes by the Commanders. He can still play but they are paying him $20 million a year, he’s not that guy any more. Hargrave was cut by the 49ers because he was overpaid, coming off an injury, and wasn’t all that productive when he was healthy for them. Oh, and he’s 32. They only gave him a two-year deal but $15 million a year seems excessive.
Two moves I liked and one I don’t hate
They re-signed CB Byron Murphy who has really blossomed in Brian Flores’ defense. Then they got him some help by signing CB Isaiah Rodgers from Philadelphia. Rodgers isn’t great but they got him for 2 years, $15 million total, that’s a good deal for a starting caliber corner and Flores could make him look good. I like those deals for a secondary that needed CBs going into the off season. Re-signing Aaron Jones was a decent deal even if 2 years, $20 million is a bit much for a guy his age. Jones is still a good back and the deal doesn’t preclude them from drafting a RB.
What’s next?
This team still needs CB help and I would say a guy like Asante Samuel Jr. at a reasonable price wouldn’t be the worst idea. The defensive line got better in theory with Allen and Hargrave but it undoubtedly got older. They need to find some young defensive linemen in the draft, luckily this draft is full of them. Losing Cam Bynum at safety will hurt. Theo Johnson and Josh Mettelus are nice depth but they need a real starter opposite Harrison Smith, and by the way, Harrison Smith is 36. If this team signs Aaron Rodgers it will end worse than the Brett Favre era of Vikings football, they should let Rodgers go to Pittsburgh and grab a veteran QB to back up JJ McCarthy and get his era started. Sign a backup like Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, or Cooper Rush.
Seattle Seahawks
Mike McDonald moves on from the Carroll Era.
The Seahawks aren’t messing around changing up the vibes in Seattle. QB Geno Smith was traded to the Raiders, WR DK Metcalf was shipped to the Steelers, WR Tyler Lockett was cut, and even DE Dre’Mont Jones was let go. The Seahawks didn’t want to pay Geno Smith the reported $45 million/year he was asking for so they pivoted. The traded him to Las Vegas (Pete Carroll’s new team) for a third-round pick and then signed the top free agent QB on the market, Sam Darnold. Darnold is seven years younger than Smith and is making around $7-8 million less per season than Smith wanted. Darnold is also likely a better schematic fit with new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak who worked with him for a year in San Francisco two years ago. The team flipped their WR group too. Jaxon Smith-Njiba became the go-to guy last year and the Seahawks didn’t want to invest in DK Metcalf long-term. Metcalf goes to Pittsburgh for a second-round pick and he got overpaid there instead. They also cut Tyler Lockett because he’s getting older and just wasn’t the guy he once was. Metcalf and Lockett have been replaced by Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Cooper Kupp. Kupp can be everything Lockett has been lately, if he stays healthy. No matter what you think of Metcalf, and I’m not his biggest fan, MVS is a serious downgrade on the outside.
What else happened?
The team re-signed LB Ernest Jones IV after trading for him last season. He’s a good fit in McDonald’s defense. They also re-signed DL Jarran Reed, also a good fit in the defense. They signed DE Demarcus Lawrence from Dallas. He may be a fit too but he’s going to be 33 and they gave him a 3-year, $42 million deal, that was excessive. It’s a changing of the guard in Seattle in a real way.
What’s next?
Well, they signed OL Josh Jones, who is a well-traveled veteran who can play OT or OG in a pinch but they have to upgrade the interior of the offensive line or none of the offensive changes will matter. Kubiak comes from the Shanahan coaching tree so they can hope he can mitigate some of the issues on the offensive line but you need some talent. There first three picks in the draft should be OG, OG, WR in some order. One of the OG picks could be a C/G prospect if they find one. Sam Darnold is a bad QB when he’s under pressure and pressure from the inside will ruin him.
Houston Texans
The mind of GM Nick Caserio is an interesting place.
After a great first year under DeMeco Ryans and rookie QB CJ Stroud two years ago, the Texans made some win now moves and it didn’t go so well, on offense anyway. Former OC Bobby Slowik went from genius up-and-coming coach to former OC in a season after the offensive line fell apart and their WR group got hurt. Caserio’s response was to trade LT Laramy Tunsil and OG Kenyon Green and cut OG Shaq Mason. None of those guys played particularly well last season but usually you would look to replace them with better players. At LT, I don’t know the plan. Either RT Blake Fisher or former RT Tytus Howard moves there, or they draft one. At OG they signed Laken Tomlinson, who’s been washed up for a couple of years and traded for Ed Ingram, a guy who got benched in Minnesota last year. One of those two probably has to start at this point, my money is on Tomlinson but it’s not a great strategy. A rebuilt and reshuffled offensive line will be breaking in a first time play calling OC Nick Caley. Caley seems like a smart guy but this is a house of cards
The team also traded for WR Christian Kirk who fell out of favor in Jacksonville. Not sure why they traded for his contract when the Jaguars were going to cut him. Guess they didn’t want to bid in the open market against all the other teams that would have been clamoring for Kirk after his down years in Jacksonville. They do need Kirk with Stefon Diggs a free agent they aren’t bringing back and Tank Dell’s gruesome knee injury. They also signed WR Jaylen Watson and WR Braxton Berrios but I’m not sure those guys are upgrades over holdovers Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III.
One smart move, maybe.
Nick Caserio traded OG Kenyon Green, a former first-round pick who had been benched, to the Eagles for safety/nickelback CJ Gardner-Johnson. He was starter for them in the Super Bowl so he’s a nice piece for a secondary in Houston that should be really good. My only concern, Gardner-Johnson seems to wear out his welcome everywhere he goes (he’s done it twice in Philadelphia) and the Eagles offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland is probably going to turn Green into the offensive lineman people thought he was going to be when he was drafted in the first round. Gardner-Johnson will help the Texans defense this year, but they will probably want to move on from him in a year while Green because a starting OG for someone else.
What’s next?
I assume the Texans will target a LT in round one of the draft, there is a dire need there. Tunsil is certainly past his prime and there were rumblings that his work ethic and attitude was not a good fit for DeMeco Ryans and culture he’s building. That’s fine but if CJ Stroud gets killed behind a bad o-line, things get ugly in Houston fast. They once ruined a #1 overall QB pick because they didn’t protect him. They also need interior o-line help and if a really good WR falls to them, the guys on their roster shouldn’t preclude them from drafting one.
Tennessee Titans
What they didn’t do says a lot.
The Titans made plenty of moves but they didn’t even attempt to sign a veteran starting QB and they even lost their veteran backup. Unless they know something the rest of the world doesn’t about Brandon Allen, this team is drafting Cam Ward with the #1 overall pick. They made major moves on the offensive line to fix that unit and it feels like they are trying to make an environment conducive to a new QB. They seriously overspent on LT Dan Moore. This is why teams draft LTs, even not good LTs get a ton of money on the free agent market. Moore will be an upgrade on JC Latham who was miscast as a LT last year as a rookie. This moves Latham over to the RT spot where he should be far more comfortable. They then signed veteran hired gun RG Kevin Zeitler. Zeitler may be 35 but he was still really good last year for the Lions. Now their line has LT Moore, LG Peter Skoronski, C Lloyd Cushenberry, RG Zeitler and RT Latham, that’s a good unit. There’s something wrong with the weakest link Moore being the highest paid but beggars can’t be choosers and they were begging for a better LT.
What this means.
It means Cam Ward is going number one overall and the New York Giants have to decide how hard they want to push for Aaron Rodgers vs. do they even want Russell Wilson vs. would they take Shadeur Sanders third overall. Not great choices all around. Titans still need help at WR, no, Van Jefferson doesn’t count. They added some solid pieces to the defense; LB Cody Barton, DE Dre’Mont Jones, and S Xavier Woods, but none of those guys are changing their fate. It’s all on Cam Ward at this point (or it will be once they officially draft him). They should try to trade Will Levis before the draft, once they draft Ward and other teams take QBs in the later rounds, they lose all leverage. Tell me the Browns, Giants, Raiders or Rams wouldn’t give up a pick to have Levis as a guy competing to start or as a young backup to an aging starter.
Hott Read Quick Hitters (Moves I like)
The Arizona Cardinals needed help in the front seven and they signed DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DE Josh Sweat, and LB Akeem Davis-Gaither. Sweat is exactly the type of edge rusher they need and he’s familiar with Jonathan Gannon’s defense. Tomlinson is a big bodied NT who gives them a tough run defender. Davis-Gaither isn’t great but he adds some speed at ILB, they need that.
The Bengals signed DT TJ Slaton from Green Bay. He’s a young DT with some nice size and should help their defensive line. He wasn’t too expensive and that’s good, they don’t have much money to invest on defense.
There aren’t a lot of good things to say about the Cowboys but I’m a Javonte Williams fan and they got him cheap. He could have resurgent year if they fix the offensive line.
The Broncos signed LB Dre Greenlaw, if he’s healthy, he’s an ass kicker, he’ll fit right in. They also signed Evan Engram who is a pretty good fit for Sean Payton’s offense and will be a big help to Bo Nix.
The Lions didn’t want to pay Carlton Davis what the Patriots were willing to give him so they signed DJ Reed from the Jets. Reed is a really good CB and they shouldn’t miss a beat.
The Colts finally decided to spend some money to fix the secondary. CB Charvarius Ward is an excellent player and a true CB1. They also signed S Cam Bynum who’s an underrated player and a massive upgrade for them.
The Chiefs made some dubious moves but signing CB Kristian Fulton could really pay off. They didn’t pay him a ton and when he plays, he’s a good CB. They just need him to play.
The Raiders decided to get an actual NFL QB this year when they traded for Geno Smith. They also gave Maxx Crosby a huge extension that made him the highest paid non-QB in football for four days until Myles Garrett signed. Crosby deserved the contract and Geno will be a good QB for them.
The Chargers are doubling down on being a power football team. They signed OG Mekhi Becton to solidify the offensive line and RB Najee Harris. Harris has gotten a bad rap at times because the Steelers haven’t always put the best line in front of him. Despite that, Harris has four straight 1000 yard seasons and he never misses a game. He’s not a game breaker but he’s more reliable than JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards were last year. The Chargers are planning to run you over. Look for them to draft a speed complement to Harris.
The Rams cut Cooper Kupp because he’s aging and clearly has lost a step. They signed Devante Adams to become their outside X receiver like they used to have with guys like Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandin Cooks. It’s the perfect situation for Adams because that’s what he does well. He’s not the Adams from his prime in Green Bay but he doesn’t have to be. Puka Nacua takes over the Kupp role and Adams makes his life easier.
The New York Jets gave QB Justin Fields a 2-year, $40 million deal. That’s seems high but when your last two QBs were Zach Wilson and Aaron Rodgers you do what you have to do. Fields is worth the flyer. He’s the bridge to whomever they draft in the 2026 draft, for now, they are just treading water. I did like their signing of S Andre Cisco, he’ll be good in Aaron Glenn’s defense.
The Steelers finally said screw it and signed CB Darius Slay. Slay is 34 but he just helped the Eagles win a Super Bowl and he’s still better than any second CB the Steelers have employed in years. They have Joey Porter Jr. as CB1, Slay will be a high-end #2.
One signing I feel will be better than anyone has even thought of is the Eagles signing AJ Dillon. Dillon never stayed healthy in Green Bay but if he’s healthy enough to back up Saquan and replace the departed Kenneth Gainwell, he could be a monster behind that offensive line.
Hott Read Quick Hitters (Moves I don’t like)
The Cleveland Browns traded for Kenny Pickett. Haven’t Browns fans suffered enough. If they don’t find an actual starter and Pickett starts next year, that’s just cruel.
I liked the Cowboys signing Javonte Williams, now let’s see what I didn’t like. They traded for not one but two former first round busts; CB Kaiir Elam and LB Kenneth Murray. Then they signed two former first round busts; DT Solomon Thomas and DE Payton Turner. Someone needs to kick Jerry Jones out of the old scouting file room. They didn’t overpay these guys but counting on this many guys who have failed is not a great strategy.
The Broncos got Dre Greenlaw from the 49ers, loved it, but they also signed S Talanoa Hufanga to a 3-year, $45 million deal. Hufanga is an ass kicker like Greenlaw but it backfires on him, he gets hurt, a lot. That’s a lot of money for a guy who can’t stay on the field.
The Packers gave LG Aaron Banks a 4-year, $77 million deal. Banks was fine last year but he wasn’t good. Also, the Packers o-line wasn’t a problem and getting a guard to stick inside so they could move Elgton Jenkins to center is a problem for the middle rounds of the draft, if that. They have Sean Rhyan and last year’s first rounder Jordan Morgan so it wasn’t a glaring need. That might be the biggest overpay of the year since I can sort of justify the Titans need for Dan Moore. The 49ers line was bad last year and yet Banks and the next guy some how both got overpaid for it.
The Chiefs proved why it sucks to be desperate for a LT. They gave LT Jaylon Moore, who was Trent Williams’ back up in San Francisco, a 2-year, $30 million deal. Moore has some upside but this is why you draft LTs and not try to sign them in free agency.
The Pittsburgh Steelers were so desperate for WR help they traded a second-round pick (not a terrible price in draft compensation) to Seattle for DK Metcalf. The real problem was giving him a 5-year, $150 million extension (that is a terrible price). $30 million a year is WR1 money and DK Metcalf isn’t a true WR1. He looks like one but he isn’t. This is also going to complicate things with George Pickens. I’m pretty sure the Steelers want to move on from Pickens but if they do, they are right back to where they were. A fake #1 WR with a bunch of 3rd and 4th WR behind him and no real #2. I’m not sure who is going to be desperate enough to trade for Pickens (I’m pretty sure Mike Vrabel will never be desperate enough to sign off on that move no matter how bad the Patriots WRs are). I would say maybe the Cowboys looking for a WR2 behind CeeDee Lamb but Pickens is going to want to get paid and the Cowboys aren’t trading for a guy who wants the kind of money Pickens will want. (Sorry that one wasn’t so quick).
Finally, the Commanders are falling into the old trap many teams have fallen into before (the Texans just did it last year). You have great success in the first year of a new regime and a rookie QB and you think you are closer than you are. Washington made two dumb trades; they gave up four draft picks (over the next two years) for Laramy Tunsil and they traded for Deebo Samuel. Tunsil is fine at LT but he’s getting older and losing those four picks is going to haunt them in a few years when they are lacking depth and Tunsil is retired. They only gave up a late pick for Deebo but they picked up his contract. It’s not a ton of money for a WR2 but Deebo gets hurt and misses time and he’s just not the playmaker he was. The Commanders defense played beyond their talent at the end of last year and if they regress next year, it won’t matter how good the offense is, they will have a worse record. Those draft picks they gave up over the next two years will be missed. (Sorry, that one wasn’t quick either)
The Hott Read 