The first day of 2024 NFL free agency is all but in the books, with dozens of big names agreeing to lucrative deals and a few others swapping locations via trade. Technically, signings and trades can’t become official until 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, but already the action is in full swing.
That said, here are some of Day 1’s biggest winners and losers:
Winner: Falcons‘ playoff prospects
Going into free agency, Atlanta had just about everything to warrant widespread optimism — dynamic young skill weapons, a sturdy line, an opportunistic defense, a fresh coaching staff — except a legitimate quarterback. Now they have one in Kirk Cousins. Are they paying a pretty penny for an aging pocket passer coming off a serious injury? Sure. But Cousins is the kind of savvy, plug-and-play signal-caller who can help Atlanta make an immediate push for the NFC South title, if not more. He remains a borderline top-10 player at his position, and his supporting cast is just hitting its prime.
Cousins signing with Atlanta eliminated arguably the best fit for the oft-unfairly maligned Chicago Bears quarterback, and the Las Vegas Raiders spending high-end backup money on Gardner Minshew probably signals they’re done under center until the draft. With the Pittsburgh Steelers taking a flyer on Russell Wilson and the New England Patriots reuniting with Jacoby Brissett, there may not be a bevy of strong offers remaining. Keep an eye on these two as last-ditch possibilities: the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.
Winner: Running backs worldwide
So much for the devaluation of the position. In a seemingly depressed market absolutely loaded with quality starters, four different running backs — Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, D’Andre Swift and Tony Pollard — agreed to deals averaging at least $8 million per year on the first day of free-agent action. Two of them eclipsed $12 million annually, giving them top-five positional money. Relative to other positions, it’s not world-shattering. Relative to positional expectations, it’s a sign that teams still aren’t ready to ditch the idea of game-changing ball-carriers.
Loser: AFC South spending
The Jacksonville Jaguars were all kinds of busy Monday, agreeing to deals with a slew of vets, but so many of their decisions register as lateral moves: going from Calvin Ridley to Gabe Davis out wide, Darious Williams to Ronald Darby at corner, Rayshawn Jenkins to Darnell Savage at safety. The Tennessee Titans were loaded with cap space and prioritized … Tony Pollard? Chidobe Awuzie? There’s still plenty of time for splashy upgrades, but with so many resources at their disposal, none of these rivals took a major leap forward.
Winner: Giants‘ front office
At least we know their heads are in the right place. Quarterback will be a glaring issue until Daniel Jones gets competition and/or a successor, but New York tackled both of its top needs — offensive line and edge rusher — by adding Brian Burns, Jermaine Eluemunor and Jon Runyan. The linemen appear to be mild/insurance upgrades, and Burns costs a ton on his $150 million extension, but now the G-Men can at least deploy a pocket-hunter other than Kayvon Thibodeaux who will require opponents’ attention. They also didn’t allow the rival Philadelphia Eagles to make them overpay for Saquon Barkley, settling for a perfectly reasonable Devin Singletary at running back.
These teams aren’t necessarily clear winners or losers, but have rather straddled the line with some splashy decisions. Washington is smartly betting on Frankie Luvu to anchor Dan Quinn’s restocked defense, but mega bucks for Cowboys part-timer Dorance Armstrong is a potential stretch. The Eagles certainly have more upside with Saquon Barkley and Bryce Huff netting lucrative deals, but top-of-the-market running back contracts are always a gamble, and Huff’s arrival could spell the exit of more proven edge rushers in town. Minnesota, meanwhile, shored up its own pass rush with Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, but until its next plans at quarterback become clear, it’ll be in purgatory under center post-Kirk Cousins.
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Author: Cody Benjamin
March 11, 2024 | 9:45 pm
