Mar 19, 2024, 3:42 p.m. ET
NFL experts at ESPN weigh in on the most notable moves of the offseason negotiations period
The free agency of the NFL has begun to slow down almost a week after its official opening. Teams have added several impact players to their respective rosters; however, several free agents (such as Xavien Howard and Mike Williams) remain available. Kirk Cousins, Saquon Barkley, Calvin Ridley, Danielle Hunter, Arik Armstead, Robert Hunt and Russell Wilson are the most notable names to find new teams. Some clubs have made a lot of noise with multi-million dollar additions, while others have focused on making signings at a reasonable price.
What are the best moves so far? Our NFL experts break down what we’ve seen so far in the offseason free agency, starting with the best deals.
Kirk Cousins could give the Falcons offense the boost needed to start flying. ESPN
What was the best free agency operation?
Stephania Bell: The Baltimore Ravens signed running back Derrick Henry to a two-year, $16 million deal. Yes, he is 30 years old, but Henry is built to overwhelm his opponents with his build and power. And he has shown durability, with just one season in his eight-year career with less than 15 games played. Henry will continue to pose a strong problem for opposing defenses who will now have to take into account other offensive talents that will accompany him, including a quarterback in Lamar Jackson who is even more agile as a runner than Henry.
Matt Bowen: The Green Bay Packers signed safety Xavier McKinney to a four-year, $68 million deal. As a safety with multidimensional characteristics, McKinney tracks the ball well and has the coverage skills to mark well in his zone. Very suitable for a Green Bay defense that will be much more aggressive in its coverage and pressure tendencies, led by new coordinator Jeff Hafley. McKinney, 25, has nine interceptions and 14 pass breakups in four professional seasons.
Jeremy Fowler: The Pittsburgh Steelers signed linebacker Patrick Queen to a three-year, $41 million deal. Pittsburgh gets a defensive cornerstone at a position that has long shown signs of exhaustion. The inclusion of a fourth defensive star alongside TJ Watt, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cameron Heyward will pay dividends in the AFC North. And, bonus points for stealing Queen from the rival Ravens. It’s a reasonable contract, since the Steelers can trade him after one year and $13.84 million, although they won’t want to.
Eric Moody: The Carolina Panthers signed guard Robert Hunt for five years and $100 million. The Panthers made sure to grab one of the best offensive linemen available on the free agent market to help protect quarterback Bryce Young. Hunt will improve an offensive line that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in pass-block win rate last season (No. 23, 54.3 percent).
Jason Reid: The Kansas City Chiefs signed receiver Marquise Brown for one year and a salary of up to $11 million. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach addressed the defending champion’s biggest concern this offseason. The Chiefs led the NFL in dropped passes (38) last season. Veach needed to acquire a player with potential to make a difference at receiver, and Brown has elite speed and is an elusive runner after the catch. In his five seasons in the NFL, Brown has 3,644 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns. Brown gives the Chiefs their best deep threat since they traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.
Jordan Reid: Brown in Kansas City. It’s no secret that, with the exception of Rashee Rice, the Chiefs’ receivers disappointed in the last tournament. A very important element that was missed in Andy Reid’s scheme last season was his lack of consistency in receiving. Brown brings that extra dimension and immediately becomes quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ first target.
Aaron Treasure: The Atlanta Falcons signed quarterback Kirk Cousins to a one-year, $180 million deal. The quarterback position is the most important position in American football; Therefore, inclusions in this position will tip the balance much more than in other positions. Cousins represents a substantial improvement over Desmond Ridder. He won’t make the Falcons Super Bowl contenders, but he does make them favorites in their division. So Falcons fans will have reason to be optimistic over the next couple of seasons.
Mike Tannenbaum: The hiring of running back Saquon Barkley, who signed a three-year, $37.7 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. Barkley will give Jalen Hurts a much better chance of making it through the entire season healthy. Over the past three seasons, Hurts has run the ball 491 times, leading all quarterbacks in that span. That statistic takes its toll and Hurts wasn’t the same late last season. With a truly elite running back, Hurts won’t have as much pressure to run, which would tentatively keep him in good shape for the final stretch of the season.
2024-03-19 19:46:56
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