The first day of the adulteration period began strongly on Monday. A lot of money was being played in the NFL before the start of the new league year and some of the biggest free agents are now starting to get off the board. Of course, all of these deals can’t become official until the new year really starts on Wednesday, but these handshake deals are as concrete as you can get at this time of year.
Although Monday’s action is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the player’s movement this off-season, we will dissect some of the most notable hires and determine who is leading the pack with his achievement after Day 1. Below, you we will find our winners and losers from the unofficial start of the free agency.
Bill Belichick went to the free agency as soon as his stimulus check was cleared. The Patriots wasted no time trying to rebuild a list that went from 7 to 9 in 2020 and were quick to deal with key positions of need. The first big splash was signing the tight end Jonnu Smith with a $ 50 million contract for four years, which solidifies a position the club has been trying to fill since Rob Gronkowski retired. Smith is a tight end as complete as it comes with the ability to block and be a lethal receiver, especially after receiving. Since Day 1, it should be seen as the Patriots’ best pass capture option. The Patriots not only added a tight end, they also brought in receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. Agholor will help Josh McDaniels’ attack stretch the field, while Bourne may be an option for the club outside the slot.
Meanwhile, the most surprising splash of the day for the Patriots came from the defensive side of the ball, by agreeing with linebacker Matt Judon on a $ 56 million contract for four years. He brings elite talent to a Patriots pass-rushing unit that will also feature Josh Uche, Chase Winovich and Dont’a Hightower. Suddenly, this grouping is becoming quite lethal. Finally, the Patriots solidified the interior of their defensive line by adding Henry Anderson and Davon Godchaux.
However, not everything was positive for the Patriots, as they lost left bodyguard Joe Thuney (more on him below).
Loser: Ravens pass rush
While the Ravens made a great addition to their O line by adding point guard Kevin Zeitler, John Harbaugh’s front seven suffered a blow with the club losing Yannick Ngakoue (Raiders) and Matt Judon (Patriots). Judon led the team in sacks and quarterback hitting, while Ngakoue was not far behind after joining the club for just nine games after a mid-season Vikings switch. While the Ravens have a history of replenishing their defenses in real time – and should see even more production from middle linebacker Patrick Queen in Year 2 – the advantage will have to serve as a free agency and the draft will move on.
To give credit to Bruce Arians, his statement during the celebration of the Super Bowl LV in Tampa Bay that the Buccaneers would bring back all of their major free agents proved to be true. While the club had already reached an agreement with linebacker Lavonte David and the recipient of the Chirs Godwin franchise, Shaq Barrett’s status was still at stake. However, the club was able to retain the star pass rusher, signing a four-year contract for $ 72 million on Monday. The Bucs not only managed to keep Barrett, but also renewed Rob Gronkowski for a one-year contract. As things stand today, Tampa Bay is well positioned to defend its title.
With uncertain status hanging over Russell Wilson, Seattle would be expected to arrive well on the first day of free agency and give the star defender what he wants: protection. However, the Seahawks remained quiet on Monday, when names like guards Joe Thuney and Kevin Zeitler left the board with Corey Linsley. If the Seahawks took Wilson’s earlier comments this offseason about increasing the offensive line in the heart and shooting out of the gate, it could have been a key olive branch to possibly repair some fences. At the moment, it doesn’t seem like Seattle has done much to smooth things over with the cornerstone of its franchise.
Patrick Mahomes clearly does not want to be beaten like he did at the Super Bowl LV ever again. The defender recently restructured his contract with the Chiefs to give the club more space in the game and this has generated immediate dividends with the signing of bodyguard Joe Thuney for five years. Thuney has been a key player in the Patriots’ attack at two Super Bowl championships and now he will try to increase his resume by blocking Mahomes for the next half decade. According to the PFF, Thuney has allowed only three bags dating back to 2018. He not only brings an elite production, but also proved to be one of the most durable strikers in the area.
Clearly, Mahomes likes what his team is doing on Day 1 as a free agency.
With tight end Jonnu Smith signing with the Patriots and Corey Davis making a deal with the Jets, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill is missing two of his top three pass-catchers from a season ago. Smith and Davis combined for 1,432 yards of Tannehill’s 3,819 passing yards in 2020, which is about 37.5% of their production. Of Tannehill’s 33 touchdowns last season, 13 went to Smith or Davis. Sure, Tannehill can still rely on receiver AJ Brown and running back Derrick Henry to help push Tennessee’s attack on the field, but it probably got a little more difficult with Smith and Davis moving forward.