Day one of the NFL‘s legal tampering period is over, and a hectic one at that– here are our major takeaways and the biggest transactions to go down
As of March 13th, the legal tampering period for the NFL has officially started, and with a bang. Nearly 50 free agents came off the wire in 24 hours, with some of the biggest names in the league jumping teams and departing for greener grass. Some landed major deals, some had to make do with prove it contracts.
Either way, the composition of the league has shifted, a major paradigm change from what it was even seven days ago. The magnitude of today has started to mold the makings of the draft, building context clues for what’s to come.
Here are our biggest takeaways from day one in possibly the craziest maelstrom of transactions we’ve seen in a long time ranging from blockbuster deals to contracts full of decent value.
Las Vegas Raiders | Jimmy Garoppolo
Details: Jimmy Garoppolo departed from his estranged role with the San Francisco 49ers to the middle of the desert with the Las Vegas Raiders. Garoppolo signed a 3-year, $67.5 million deal with over $45 million guaranteed with the silver and black. Garoppolo was the outcast in a trio of quarterbacks that graced beneath center for San Francisco over the 2022 season.
RELATED: The 49ers Have a Quarterback Issue… and There’s No Solution in Sight
Claybon: I think that signing Garoppolo is a great move for a Raiders team who urgently needs to move past the mediocrity that Derek Carr has thrown on the team over the past couple of years. Even with solid pieces in Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, and a solid defense, the Las Vegas Raiders have always fallen short in a conference that has the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs
The upside of the Jimmy G signing is simply the move that Las Vegas needs to make in order to try to get to the NFL playoffs– however it’s only one piece of it. The Raiders have to expand on their investment and go big with a young quarterback to take over for Garoppolo.
Chicago Bears | Tremaine Edmunds
Details: The Bears got a massive upgrade at linebacker just a couple seasons after their perennial talent in Khalil Mack left for Los Angeles. Edmunds comes from the Bills after being a superstar on defense– for over five years, Edmunds was Buffalo’s key player and outspoken leader on the defensive eleven, a role that he’ll seek to regain in Chicago.
Chicago signed him to a massive 4-year, $72 million deal that offers more than $50 million guaranteed. His $18 million average annual value puts him amongst the league’s elite and will look to be part of a Bears rebuild that has been decades in the making.
Chandana: Edmunds has been the bastion of the Bills’ defensive seven for years now since his inception into the league from Virginia Tech. His pay day came at a hefty price for Chicago, yet is required as the team needed an upgrade from Joe Thomas at inside linebacker. The Bears just made Edmunds the highest paid inside linebacker to date in a league where big contracts are seemingly the new norm, and Ryan Poles needs a win on this one.
Detroit Lions | Cameron Sutton
Details: Cam Sutton has been the Pittsburgh Steelers’ number one cornerback for a while now, and his new 3-year, $33 million deal with the Detroit Lions will only try to solidify his status as the NFL’s best up and coming defensive back. Earning a solid reputation as a number one corner, the Lions got themselves a steal with innately low risk to add to a defense which gave up 25.12 points a game.
Chandana: A low-risk pick-up with tons of upside is a win in my book, especially for the Detroit Lions who already have a rising star in Jeff Okudah who could use a comrade on the other side of the field. Sutton’s veteran presence along with a young defense could make the Lions one of the scarier teams in the league when they’re winning free agency with signings like this.
Atlanta Falcons | Jessie Bates III
Details: After rumors had surfaced that safety Jessie Bates III would be seeking alternative teams during this year’s free agency, the Atlanta Falcons signed him to a 4-year, $64 million deal which includes a payout of $23 million in the first year alone. Atlanta had large amounts of cap space, and choosing it to spend on defense bolsters the confidence in their offense that they currently have. Expect the team to make even more moves going forward as GM Terry Fontenot attempts to make big splashes in the draft and the free agency pool.
Chandana: Bates has been one of the NFL’s most reliable safeties since his college days at Wake Forest. He has started every game he has laced up his cleats for, including being an integral part of the 2021 Bengals team that made it to the Super Bowl. Over four years in the NFL, he’s has 14 interceptions with 43 pass breakups, looking to be a major part of Atlanta’s team going forward.
San Francisco 49ers | Sam Darnold
Details: The San Francisco 49ers have somehow added to their quarterback drama by letting go of Jimmy Garoppolo earlier on this list but signing Sam Darnold. Darnold was signed to a 1-year deal, but still draws serious questions about what’s going on in the Bay Area.
The Staff: Darnold has improved on his abysmal start to the league after being a high draft pick in 2018. He has gone 4-2 in his last six games as a starter in Carolina coming off IR, but fell just short of the playoffs. His small sample size makes it tough to determine how deep his improvement truly lies, but a good TD:INT ratio makes it somewhat better at 7:3. Darnold will most likely be QB3 in San Fran, but if he’s able to shake things up, Brock Purdy might be looking for an out.
Pittsburgh Steelers | Patrick Peterson
Details: Patrick Peterson has left the Twin Cities in exchange for the Steel City, replacing aforementioned cornerback Cameron Sutton who was signed by Detroit on Monday. At age 33, he’s old by NFL terms but over his decade long span for Arizona and Minnesota, he’s accumulated eight Pro Bowls and three AP All-Pro honors. He has said his plan has been to finish his career in Pittsburgh and call it quits presumably after the expiration of his new contract.
“Pittsburgh is one of the more storied franchises in the league, and why not want to be a part of something like that to finish off my career,” Peterson said. Later, he added: “If we’re able to iron out the details and the years that I would like in this contract … I don’t perceive myself moving around anymore after this contract, for the most part.”
“All I heard the last two years is that ‘He’s washed up, he’s done,'” Peterson said at midseason per ESPN. “… I’ve been here before — I know how to keep it. And I want to continue being challenged and continue helping this team win ballgames. Because I promise you this, if I get challenged, I will show up on the stat sheet. And that’s why I’ve been missing out on Pro Bowls and All-Pros. I’m here. Twelve years in and I’m still standing strong.”
Miami Dolphins | David Long Jr.
Details: David Long Jr. has signed a 2 year, $11 million contract with the Miami Dolphins. Just days after making a splash on the trade block by acquiring superstar cornerback Jalen Ramsey from Los Angeles, the Dolphins have decided to put some of their chips in on defense again. This time on 26-year old linebacker David Long who will accompany LB Bradley Chubb in the linebacker room in South Beach.
Chandana: Long is very much a boom or bust player, however with a price tag this low, it’s hard to argue that this is a risky investment. Instead, Miami got themselves a young star, looking now to bolster the front seven with more than just Chubb. His productivity in his 22 games as a starter has been off the charts in Nashville, with 86 total tackles in 2022 alone.
