A week before the opening of the free agent market in the NFL, the action resumed with a vengeance on Tuesday. And how !
Posted at 4:44 p.m.
We expected things to change a lot at quarterbacks this winter. On Tuesday, the two most important pieces of the waltz of the quarters fell into place.
After several months of speculation about his future, Aaron Rodgers chose to stay with the Green Bay Packers. A few hours after Ian Rapoport (NFL Network) released this news, his competitor Adam Shefter (ESPN) informed us that the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks had concluded a monster transaction.
Looking for a top quarterback since Peyton Manning retired six years ago, the Broncos have finally got their man. After a brilliant decade in the Seahawks uniform, Russell Wilson will now continue his career in Colorado.
The Broncos were in a great position to get their hands on a high-caliber quarterback. Their payroll was approximately 45 million under the 208 million cap for 2022 and they could afford to sacrifice draft picks, since they already have a good team on paper.
In return for Wilson and a fourth-round pick, the Broncos gave up two first-round picks, two second-round picks, one fifth-round pick, plus quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and tackle Shelby Harris. Expensive paid, but that was the price to get your hands on a player of Wilson’s caliber.
In addition to getting Lock, who could fill their quarterback position in the short term, the Seahawks will be in an excellent position to be able to draft their future quarterback in the next draft thanks to the choices obtained from the Broncos if it is what they wish to do.
Wilson was hoping to play for a Super Bowl contender, which probably wouldn’t have been the case in Seattle, since the Seahawks are rebuilding. In Denver, Wilson will play with several good young offensive players, including a solid receiver group, and the Broncos have one of the strongest defenses in the league.
Wilson, Mahomes and Herbert
This means that Wilson and Patrick Mahomes will now share the same division. The domination of Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the American West is therefore possibly coming to an end.
In addition to the Chiefs and Broncos, Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers will be watching, who reportedly signed a new three-year, $60 million deal with wideout Mike Williams on Tuesday. These three teams share their division with the Las Vegas Raiders, who finished second in this division and made the playoffs in 2021.
The Raiders recently hired former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as their head coach. It will be interesting to see if the Raiders emulate the Seahawks by trading Derek Carr over the next few days. Rumors have been circulating to this effect for several weeks.
What if Tom Brady decides to come out of retirement to join his friend McDaniels in Nevada? Can you imagine a division with Mahomes, Wilson, Brady and Herbert? It would be completely insane.
Rodgers and Adams back
Rodgers confirmed he would be back with the Packers for at least another season on Tuesday.
But contrary to what was reported by Ian Rapoport earlier today, the quarterback has reportedly not signed a new contract with the team that drafted him in the first round 17 years ago. Rapoport had claimed that Rodgers and the Packers had agreed to a new four-year pact worth $200 million.
PHOTO LON HORWEDEL, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Aaron Rodgers
For the moment, Rodgers must receive a salary of 26.5 million in 2022. However, the Packers certainly want to convert most of this sum into a signing bonus, which would have the effect of reducing their payroll for next season.
The Packers were already more than 27 million above the salary cap even before appointing receiver Davante Adams as a franchise player on Tuesday, a decision that will ensure the latter receives a salary of 20.1 million in 2022. organization will most likely be looking to sign Adams to a long-term contract, which could also help the Packers improve their salary cap situation.
Either way, the Packers may have to let go of several key players over the next week in order to meet salary cap requirements. The payroll of each of the 32 teams cannot exceed 208.2 million as of the start of the new year in the NFL, March 16 at 4 p.m. The Packers are currently approximately 47 million over the legal limit.
The other options
For teams looking to add an experienced quarterback to their roster, including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders, Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers) could be attractive options. Otherwise, the free agent market will open next week.
A few candidates should receive attractive offers in the freelance market, including Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota and Mitch Trubisky. These three quarterbacks were all drafted first or second in their respective auctions and will only be 28 years old when the next season begins. They could prove to be interesting bets at a reasonable price.
