Best & Worst Deals of NFL Free Agency Days 2-3: Buccaneers Puttin' in Work!
After a huge opening day to free agency, things have continued to go crazy like usual in the following 3 days of the market opening. We've seen signings and even trades and we expect many more to come including the inevitable Deshaun Watson move that will likely see him heading to either New Orleans, Carolina, Cleveland, or Atlanta. We even saw Julio Jones released and will have to see where he ends up. Let's get into my favorite and least favorite moves of the second and third days!
Best
2 yrs/$16 million
After the Jaguars massive spending spree on day 1 (that continued into days 2 and 3) there had to be someone that was cut to compensate. The odd man out was 26 year old LB Myles Jack, who led the Jags in tackles last year and was their defensive team captain. Jack has been one of the best and most underrated LBs in the NFL since joining the Jags as a second rounder in the 2016 NFL draft. When he was cut, the Steelers swooped right in and added him. What a move for them. The Steelers defense gets even better, and Jack will be a foundational piece in the middle for them. For a stud young LB, just $8 million per year is a steal for Pittsburgh. He is going to be a big pickup for them and will mesh well with elite LBs coach Brian Flores.
Russell Gage, WR → Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 3 yrs/$30 million
With Tom Brady back in the fold, things are already falling back into place beautifully. We all know they made a couple of really nice re-signings on day 1 in elite center Ryan Jensen, and stud young CB Carlton Davis, but they just added another major weapon to add to what Tom Brady already has at his disposal in Tampa. Gage was one of the more underrated WR FA's on the market, and the Bucs clearly identified that early and made a huge play to reel him in. With Chris Godwin and Mike Evans as the headliners, Gage is going to be one of the best WR3's in the NFL, and with Tom Brady and QB, he will be elevated even higher. Gage ended the 2021 season off on a tear as he was the Falcons' clearcut WR1 and was making some unreal plays. This move may go a little under the radar, but it was a great move by Bucs' GM Jason Licht.
I'm not done gushing about Tampa. They made an elite move right after the Gage signing by trading JUST a 5th round pick to New England in exchange for top 10 offensive guard who is just 28 years old in Shaq Mason. What are the Patriots doing here? Mason is one of the game's best guards and he's just 28. This is a player that I would expect to go for at least a 2nd if not a first. Somehow the Buccaneers continue to get star talent as now Brady has one of his favorite and best O-lineman from his New England days with him in Tampa. It was looking bleak on the OL to start the off-season with Pro Bowler Ali Marpet retiring, other guard Alex Cappa on his way out, and Ryan Jensen seemingly too expensive, but now they have retained Jensen and found an elite level replacement at guard in Mason. Awesome job here for Tampa, and on the other hand, I don't like this trade one bit for New England.
Uchenna Nwosu, OLB → Seattle Seahawks - 2 yrs/$20 million
After an up and down first day of free agency and then losing stud CB DJ Reed to the Jets, the Seahawks redeemed themselves a little with this great move. Going into the off-season, edge rush and LB were two of the team's biggest needs, and I loved the idea of them signing Haason Reddick. Sadly, that did not happen as he was swooped up by the Eagles. This move is a great consolation prize. Nwosu is coming off of the first year of his career in which he started for the full season and he was great. At just 25 years old, Nwosu tallied 40 tackles, 5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles for the Chargers while producing one of the best pressure rates in the entire NFL. Nwosu brings the juice off of the edge, but as an OLB he can drop into coverage well too, having an INT last year as well. The Seahawks are moving to a 3-4 defense, and having a versatile edge piece like Nwosu who is just entering his prime and developing is amazing, and I think this contract was a steal as well. A+ move here for Seattle in an otherwise iffy off-season to this point.
DJ Reed, CB → New York Jets -
3 yrs/$33 million
Raheem Mostert, RB → Miami Dolphins - 1 yr/$3 million
While I didn't like their signing of Chase Edmonds on day 1, I love this move. Mike McDaniel brings over one of his favorite weapons from San Francisco to potentially lead his backfield in Miami. Mostert, when healthy, is one of the fastest and most elusive RBs in the NFL. We've seen him have unreal stretches of play where he looks untouchable. McDaniel knows him extremely well from his recent time in SF, and he will be able to use him to his best. McDaniel so far is doing a really good job of putting talent around Tua to try and help him succeed in year 3 and take a big leap. It is a one year deal to prove it, but for just $3 million...yeah that's a steal!
Worst
Just like the Christian Kirk deal on day 1, this is an unbelievably good deal for the player, but in terms of the team who is the one really making the deal, this was awful. Sure, I get it, you wanted a big time elite edge rusher like Miller or Chandler Jones, but this is not the extent you go to to get one. Miller is still good, but he's definitely lost a step and was better mostly benefitting from playing with guys like Aaron Donald and Leonard Floyd. He's 32 years old, even if this is a win now move and he's good for this year, I doubt he's that great past this one year. You just gave him a SIX year deal. At age 32!! What are you thinking?! Miller could in theory be making $20 million at age 38 when he can barely even run anymore. The Bills have a bright future, and this move could push them over the top for this season, maybe, maybe not, but you just put quite a dent in your future, especially given the fact that Josh Allen will soon receive one of the largest contracts in NFL history. This move feels super desperate and I don't like it very much for the Bills. For Miller, wow, give your agent a MASSIVE raise.
Darious Williams, CB → Jacksonville Jaguars - 3 yrs/$30 million
While a lot of people are praising the Jags for this move, I am not one of them. I'm not very high on Darious Williams after the season he just had. It was a major regression from his dominant 2020 season and it became evident at many times that teams would be trying to throw it AT Williams and his direction because they knew he wasn't great. The undersized Williams is going to be relied upon even more in Duval county with no Jalen Ramsey to help him out, and I think it's going to continue to be a wake up call. $10 million a year feels like a lot to me for a guy who was not spectacular in 2021 and is primed to do even worse in '22.
For Tennessee, I do not like this move at all. They are still trying to repeat as AFC no. 1 seeds and look to go on a Super Bowl run. They are trying to build themselves up as title contenders and not go in the wrong direction. While Jones is injured a lot, and is expensive, it makes no sense to me to give up on him so fast. There isn't much better options that they have right now at WR, and cutting him now doesn't give them immediate cap relief. You also have to take into account that they just traded a second-rounder to Tennessee last off-season just to give up on Jones so quickly. I don't know about this one, now they really only have AJ Brown for the inconsistent Ryan Tannehill to go to. When you have Derrick Henry, having a guy like Jones opposite of AJ Brown makes this team a nightmare to defend, now, they will be relatively easy to figure out. I hate this decision by Tennessee.
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