Monday Minute: Free Agency Phase 1 ✅ Commencing Phase 2 - 3/22/21

Well, now that everyone's brackets are busted and the top free agents are mostly off the board, it is officially #DraftSZN. In celebration, Friday will be my first 2 round mock of the season. Wednesday will be an article discussing the fantasy implications of free agents that have changed teams this offseason. I hope you look forward to both of those.

Today's article will be a continuation of Thursday's article on players who have signed but with much less detail and much more storyline/opinion.

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First thing I want to start with, and this should be an annual reminder because fans get caught up in the fun of free agency, teams that are "Winners of free agency" do not often translate that to winning on the field. Consider this: the most guaranteed money spent in free agency since 2016 are #1 the Jets at $341M and #2 the Jags at $318M. The 2 worst records since 2016? The Jets at 23-57 and the Jags at 25-55. There have been some decent returns on some teams recently in one-year spurts with the Dolphins last year, the Bears a few years ago and the Jags when they went to the AFC Championship game. Look at the Bears and Jags now. I pray that the Dolphins had more foresight in their signings and will not fall victim to the same issue.

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Free Agent Signings Since Thursday

WR Kenny Golladay to New York Giants - Golladay's 4 year $72M deal with $40M guaranteed was shocking to me. That was actually exactly what I would have pegged him to sign at the beginning of the offseason. But when all of the other deals are coming in so much lower and it seemed like the Giants were the only team really in on him (Bears apparently made a run at him but he wanted to be in NY), I don't know. Seems high. Something about Daniel Jones throwing him the ball doesn't inspire hope either. 

WR Will Fuller to Miami Dolphins - This is exactly the type of move the Dolphins needed to make this offseason. A player who takes the tops of defenses and has a connection with Deshaun Watson... I mean... nevermind 😉. Fuller's issues have always been with being available. But if he can be healthy in 2021, I will be elated.

WR Juju Smith-Schuster staying in Pittsburgh - Very surprising re-sign considering he could easily have joined Baltimore who was courting him and who I think is going to be better than Pittsburgh. Though, he will put up better numbers in Pittsburgh and can possibly regain a positive image going into free agency again next year.

C David Andrews staying in New England - I feel so awful for Ted Karras. In 2019, the Patriots had 2 starting centers, Karras and Andrews. In 2020, Karras signed with the Dolphins for a year to be a starter and he played above average. Karras signed a 1 year deal to return to New England this offseason, assuming he would be the starter since Andrews was being courted by the Dolphins. Turns out Andrews signs a team friendly 4-year deal to return. Gutted for Karras.

RB Chris Carson staying in Seattle - This is a big big move. It seemed like both sides were going to be splitting earlier in the offseason, but Carson's best possible fantasy output will be in Seattle where they utilize big backs like him. If Carson is healthy, that's a big if for him, I like him in the 4th-5th round range.

CB Kyle Fuller to Denver Broncos - Fuller had a $20M cap hit to the Bears in 2021, so they tried to trade him, and eventually cut him. The Broncos HC Vic Fangio is the forner Bears DC that got the best out of him in Chicago. He signed with the Broncos only a few hours after his release lol. The great thing for Denver is this really allows them to be flexible in the first round and they aren't pigeonholed into taking a CB. Who knows... maybe they trade up for a QB.

EDGE Basham and LB/S Neal to Dallas Cowboys - These aren't necessarily big signings but it is important that the Cowboys are addressing their defense. Dan Quinn is bringing the 4-3 back to Dallas and with 2 underrated signings in Tarrell Basham and Keanu Neal, they are slowly buiding up that side. Still need major work on the secondary.

S Anthony Harris to Philadelphia Eagles - Hey the Eagles did something! And a big something I might add. A top 2 safety on the free agent market isn't a bad splash and for $5M. Harris will bring a leadership presence that the Eagles missed without Malcolm Jenkins. But again buyer beware that he is leaving the Mike Zimmer defense.

QB Mitch Trubisky to Buffalo Bills - This isn't a big signing but it is important. Backup QB jobs are essential in this day and age and the Bills got the best available one. Additionally, if Mitch believes he is a starter in this league, it will be good to learn under the guy that fixed Josh Allen.

C Nick Martin to Las Vegas Raiders - Not a whole lot to say here but I did want to mention it because the OL was just vacated. This is a good signing to replace Rodney Hudson.

WR Desean Jackson to Los Angeles Rams - More name value than anything, but I wouldn't at all be surprised to see Stafford hit DJax for a couple of 50 yard bombs in 2021. He will then get promptly injured and not return the rest of the year. You take one with the other.

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The Rest

There are two players that are not necessarily "on the trade block", but teams have been placing inquiry calls about. QB Gardner Minshew (Jaguars) and LB CJ Mosley (Jets) are those players and couldn't be in more different situations. Minshew would no doubt be called upon to bring some competition to a QB room as a starter, but there are very few teams that I think would consider trading for him considering how valuable that can be. Additionally, there are very few teams without a true starting QB that haven't already added competition to their QB room. I doubt he is moved.

Mosley however is in a different situation. He has played a total of 1 full game with with the Jets after resetting the LB market in free agency in 2019. He lost basically the entire 2019 season and then opted out in 2020. He has 4 years left on his deal and is still owed $50M with plenty of guaranteed money left. I don't know what dead cap the Jets would take on if he was traded, but if he is willing to restructure his deal for a new team I think he may be moved.

The Falcons are officially out of the 2021 QB conversation. They have restructured Matt Ryan's contract for a 4th time!!! Normally, when a deal is restructured it is a way to say that a player is taking up too much cap and the team can't afford it this year. So they kick the can down and the player then has a higher cap hit later on, which makes it harder to cut them. They've done that 4 times with Matt and his cap hit in 2022 is now going to be $48M. Mahomes' cap hit in 2022 is only $35M and his contract was restructured this year as well. The team would technically save $8M if they cut him next year but they will still be paying him $40M. My best guess is they try to get a young QB in 2022 and let him sit for a year behind Matt and then cut him in the 2023 when he will be 38 and only cost $15M against the cap.

Another CB was released this week. The Titans moved on from Malcom Butler last week and then Adoree Jackson this week. Each saved $10M against the cap but they will need another CB after signing Janoris Jenkins and drafting Kristan Fulton last year.

The Rams barely made it under the cap in time with restructures of WR Cooper Kupp, WR Robert Woods, CB Jalen Ramsey, and DT Aaron Donald. Each of them were in the top 6 of Rams cap hits in 2020 and it is clear all of them will be in the Rams long term plans.

The really huge news last week is the Bears supposedly offered 3 1st rounders and a 3rd round pick PLUS a choice of players, which included EDGE Khalil Mack and DT Akiem Hicks, for Russell Wilson. The reason it is near the bottom of the article is because it didn't happen and it is also not surprising. Credit to the Bears and GM Ryan Pace who are clearly trying to rectify their QB mistakes the last 4 years with Trubisky and Foles. It just isn't meant to be. Russell Wilson might be unhappy and the Seahawks might be unhappy, but picks that are going to be in the 20s aren't going to help the Seahawks get a QB. Which is exactly part of the problem the Bears have in getting a new QB.

Two more small pieces of news, LB Anthony Barr did a restructure where he is going to get a few more guaranteed dollars this year but less overall money. The reason this restructure is important is that they decided to void the final year on his deal and he will be entering FA next year. With a windfall expected in the salary cap, Barr wants to get paid big again. Maybe he will actually sign with the Jets this time. 

Also, the Lions released QB Chase Daniel and DT Danny Shelton. Daniel was on the trade block and is one of the best money making QBs in the NFL with over $38M accrued for a player that hardly ever takes a snap. He only has 1700 passing yards in his career.

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TOP 10 Signings So Far

1. WR Will Fuller -> MIA: I'm biased but this is also exactly what the Dolphins needed.
2. C Corey Linsley -> LAC: Was in my top 10 for signings I hoped would happen.
3. EDGE Haason Reddick -> CAR: Was a Temple player when Rhule coached there.
4. C/G/T Joe Thuney -> KC: Was he signed to be a guard or a tackle?
5. EDGE Shaq Barrett -> TB: Team friendly deal for a top 10 EDGE right now.
6. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick -> WFT: Best available QB goes to a team needing offense.
7. LB Kyle Van Noy -> NE: Pats get a 4th Rd comp pick for him this draft and KVN back.
8. T/G Matt Fieler -> LAC: A versatile offensive lineman for a team with many OL needs.
9. DT Shelby Harris -> DEN: Staying in Denver and getting paid.
10. EDGE Trey Hendrickson -> CIN: Easy to get out of for CIN but nice payday for Trey.

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What was your favorite signing last week? Let me know in the comments or at @KyleTheCommish on Twitter.