It’s been a month and a day since we saw the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Football may not be known as a “year-round” sport, but many beg to differ. It’s because the free agency period began at 12 PM EST on March 13th. Okay, maybe a better term is “legal tampering” to describe this period. March 15th is the start of the new league year.
You’re probably wondering what moves your favorite team made to get better for next season. That’s what I am here for. Every notable signing/trade will be reported here and this will be updated daily.
Let the games begin! Or signings. Either way, enjoy!
The Chicago Bears Kick Us Off
Ryan Poles sure knows how to make a splash. After trading the number one pick to the Carolina Panthers for a haul that included wide receiver DJ Moore, he makes another move. His first official free agent signing is linebacker TJ Edwards. The 26-year-old defensive stud comes from the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles and has exceeded expectations since signing with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent.
Jimmy G Is A Raider
You read this correctly. No, your eyes aren’t wrong. Wouldn’t this be funnier if the Raiders were still in Oakland? No? OK. Guess it’s just me.
The former Northern Illinois quarterback heads from San Francisco to a place where he is actually wanted. He signs a three-year, $67.5 million deal to reunite with head coach Josh McDaniels. Familiarity comes from their days in New England. $34 million are guaranteed. When healthy, all the quarterback does is win. The man is 40-17 when he is on the field. The question is: is he the incumbent starter for Las Vegas? Or does he serve as the backup for whoever they draft in April? If so, then this is quite an expensive backup. Regardless, the Raiders have been a potential destination since the Derek Carr situation came about. They finally got their man.
Another Eagle Flies Away
As if the Philadelphia Eagles could afford to lose another player. With Edwards gone, they must watch another one of their key defensive players leave. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave departs them to join the San Francisco 49ers in a four-year, $84 million deal. $40 million is guaranteed at signing. When you think about pressing the quarterback, Hargrave is the man. He had 11 sacks last season, a career-high. The former South Carolina product also finished with 16 quarterback hits and 60 total tackles last year. He joins Nick Bosa to form a dangerous pass-rushing duo.
Two New York Teams Lock Down Special Teams Units
The New York Giants kick off day one of free agency by resigning punter Jamie Gillan and long-snapper Casey Kreiter. Not the most eye-popping, but two fewer positions to worry about nonetheless. Gillan had 75 points in 2022, with an average of 46.8 yards per point. Not the best, but improvement is likely in 2023. As for the Buffalo Bills, they resign punter Sam Martin to a three-year deal.
Atlanta Trades For Tight End, Resigns Key Lineman
The Falcons decide that their first move was to improve their pass-catching unit. They trade away their seventh-round pick this year to the New England Patriots in exchange for tight end Jonnu Smith. He reunites with head coach Arthur Smith, who were together in Tennessee. Smith reeled in just 27 balls for 245 yards in 2022. The team also resigned guard Chris Lindstrom to a five-year extension.
New England Patriots Resign Key Defensive Piece
Cornerback Jonathan Jones is welcomed back to Foxboro. The Patriots resign their number one cornerback to a two-year deal. Jones led the team with four interceptions last year and was a key cog in their defense.
Denver Starts Improving Their Line
Do you want to see Russell Wilson get back to his former self? The Broncos’ front office said yes, and showed it by signing former 49ers offensive lineman Mike McGlinchey to a five-year, $87.5 million deal. The 28-year-old tackle finished with a 71.5 PFF grade last year, bringing improvement to a tackle group including Billy Turner (56.3) and Cameron Fleming (72.6).
From One Division Rival To Another
Speaking of offensive linemen, center Nick Gates decided to stay in the NFC East. Just not with the New York Giants. Instead, he signs with the rival Washington Commanders and has a chance to become the starting center for them. Ironic, since he suffered a broken leg in Washington a few years ago. But, his historic comeback from him last year is something none of us will forget. The deal is three years, $16.5 million.
Nick Gates comeback is truly incredible. #giants #Captain pic.twitter.com/YQNEGDGPPs
—LPG–NYG (@LicensePlateGuy) October 28, 2022
Miami Has Another Quarterback
Is Tua Tagovailoa’s job on the line? Maybe. That’s what the Dolphins’ front office is signaling, as they sign former Jets quarterback Mike White to a two-year deal worth $16 million deal. White had his moments from him last year for a team that started off strong but ended the season on a six-game losing streak. The 27-year-old has only two wins in his career, but was he the issue or the Jets? My guess is the latter. The reasoning behind this deal could be that the Dolphins want to avoid having a terrible backup behind Tagovailoa. Remember Skylar Thompson?
Dolphins to start rookie QB Skylar Thompson in wild-card game vs. Billshttps://t.co/8ksdfonRr8 pic.twitter.com/8bpKS5Xq5H
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) January 13, 2023
One word to describe that game: terrible. But, hey at least Dolphins fans won’t have to worry about having him under center again. Mike White is here to save the day.
The Lions Show Their Roar With Their First Signing
Oh Detroit. Your Lions were an amazing story last season. From Hard Knocks to a Seattle loss away from a spot in the playoffs, coach Dan Campbell had a lot to be proud of last year.
To kick off free agency, the Lions bring in former Steelers cornerback on a three-year deal worth $33 million. The corner finished with 43 tackles last season and had three interceptions. The defense improves mightily for Detroit.
Cameron Sutton allowed just 32 receptions on 72 targets in 2022. His 44.4% completion percentage allowed was tied for the 4th-lowest in a season since 2016 (min. 50 targets).
Sutton will join a Lions secondary that allowed the highest CPOE (+1.5%) in the NFL in 2022.#OnePride https://t.co/p5ko1Fflkr pic.twitter.com/jij4CkNZXg
—Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) March 13, 2023
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