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junker-town · 7 years

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NFL free agency 2017: Grades for every move as they happen

Who got the next Brock Osweiler? Which team landed the perfect pass rusher? Let’s grade this year’s free agent additions to find out!

There are two ways of looking at free agent signings in the NFL. If you’re a fan, it’s pretty exciting to see your team adding brand new players to the roster. The more name recognition those players have makes it even better. When another team does the same thing, they are clearly making a mistake, the second coming of the 2011 Eagles “Dream Team.”

If this spectrum of free agency reactions were represented on a line, there’d be a larger middle part where not every decision looks like it was made by Dan Snyder.

In 2016, the Giants defense thrived with the help of free agents Janoris Jenkins and Olivier Vernon. Atlanta made smart, targeted, and expensive moves last year to fill gaps, and that worked pretty well for them, except for blowing a 25-point lead at the worst possible time in the history of the sport.

Maybe this year’s moves will work. Maybe they won’t. In the meantime, all we can do is assign them letter grades.

March 8

Free agency doesn’t start until 4 p.m. ET on March 9, but you can be forgiven for any confusion you had watching the free agency scoops drop from morning until night the day before that.

Most of the deals struck prior to the official start of the league year are of the “agreed in principle” variety, i.e. teams and players have the details all worked out, they just can’t sign any dotted lines until the league blows the whistle.

Giants sign WR Brandon Marshall

The Giants had a really good run through free agency last year, picking up players like Jenkins and Vernon to round out their defensive needs, versus, say, trying to make over the roster entirely in free agency. This is a similar move.

Odell Beckham Jr. is clearly the No. 1 guy still. Marshall gives them a really good No. 2 who helps create more mismatches for Odell, he’s an upgrade over Victor Cruz, and he gives Eli Manning another big target.

It was a two-year deal worth reportedly just $12 million. I would have assumed Marshall, even at 32, could’ve had more money.

Grade: A

49ers agree to terms with QB Brian Hoyer, WR Marquise Goodwin, and FB Kyle Juszczyk. They’re expected to sign WR Pierre Garcon on Thursday afternoon too.

The 49ers were scheduled to start the league year with no quarterbacks on the roster and no real offensive playmaking talent either. So it’s not surprising to see them sweep up four players right off the bat, especially the two players — Hoyer and Garcon — that coach Kyle Shanahan already knows well.

At least they seem to have realistic expectations about who Hoyer is: a backup. Kyle Shanahan reportedly suggested as much. It’s a two-year deal, which supports that. Now, the Niners can draft a quarterback and develop him on the bench behind Hoyer, if they so choose. Or, perhaps more likely, use Hoyer to keep Kirk Cousins’s seat warm until 2018.

Contract values for Garcon and Goodwin haven’t been reported as of press time. It’s likely the team views Goodwin as a role-playing fourth receiver/speed guy. Garcon isn’t a No. 1 receiver in the traditional sense of the position, but he’s a reliable pass catcher who led Washington in receptions and yards last season.

The one I don’t get is Juszczyk. Sure, he catches more passes than your average fullback, but they just made him the highest-paid fullback in the NFL at four years, $21 million, with $10.5 million guaranteed. An average of $5.25 million per year for a position that’s all but eliminated in the modern game.

Grade: B ... and a D for the fullback signing

Patriots acquire TE Dwayne Allen and a sixth-round pick from the Colts for a fourth-round pick.

There was a time when Allen looked like he could be one of those rare tight ends who could block and be a matchup threat, but he’s mostly been a disappointment since his rookie season. In New England, he’ll be a role player, replacing the departing Martellus Bennett as the second tight end on the roster, behind Gronk.

Grade: A

The Bills signed TWO fullbacks: Mike Tolbert and Patrick DiMarco.

Whoever said fullbacks were irrelevant would be really confused by all the road graders getting scooped up on Wednesday. DiMarco is the blocker, and the Bills committed $8.5 million for a four-year deal with him. Tolbert’s deal is a one-year, $1 million flyer, so it’s not like they’ve tied up a bunch of money in two hulking backs.

Buffalo’s running game has LeSean McCoy to be the speedy home run threat. Now, they have some hosses for the short-yardage power side of the equation.

On the other hand, the Bills could have used this money to help address other needs and find fullback help somewhere else.

Grade: C

Jaguars agree to terms with S Barry Church and DE Calais Campbell.

Jacksonville won the offseason championship last year. The Jags are off to another strong start this year, and they won’t have Gus Bradley coaching the team, which should do wonders.

Church replaces departing free agent Johnathan Cyprien, and will be an upgrade at strong safety. Church signed a four-year deal reportedly worth more than $6 million per season.

Campbell was one of the better defensive linemen on the market this year. He’s a great addition to the Jaguars’ already loaded defensive line. Sure, he’ll be coming from a 3-4 to a 4-3, but he can play all over the line and should transcend the scheme. He’s a great addition, but almost feels like more of a luxury than a pure need for the Jags. I’d be more pumped as a fan than as an armchair general manager.

Grade: B

Lions agree in principle with RT Ricky Wagner.

There’s a new price point for right tackles this year, and it starts north of $9 million per season. Nobody else on the market is likely to get that kind of deal — a deal like the one Wagner got with the Lions. He was the best right tackle available. He’s an upgrade over departing Riley Reiff, especially as a pass blocker, and is a great bookend with second-year left tackle Taylor Decker.

Grade: A

Ravens agree to terms with S Tony Jefferson

Two years in a row now that the Ravens have scored a big free agent safety. Last year it was Eric Weddle. That move paid off, but inconsistent play from Lardarius Webb undercut the secondary. And with Matt Elam’s injuries and legal troubles, the Ravens had a major need here. This is the kind of safety tandem that can make a defense fearsome for opponents.

Grade: A

Panthers expected to sign LT Matt Kalil

It’s nice that he’ll get to play on the same line as his brother, Ryan, but the Panthers better hope the family reunion can get him to play better than he ever has since being drafted fourth overall by the Vikings in 2012.

A hip injury kept him sidelined for all but two games last year. He’s reportedly back to 100 percent.

Carolina is committed to reclamation projects for the left tackle spot. Michael Oher didn’t cut it after signing there in 2015. He still has two years left on his deal. Now, with Kalil, the Panthers are banking on an other first-round pick turning around his disappointing career.

Grade: D

Ravens agree to terms with RB Danny Woodhead

Woodhead and Joe Flacco on the same team? Is it possible to win 10 games with the league’s leader in grit and an #elite quarterback? I guess we’ll find out.

Grade: B

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