Day 2 of NFL free agency had us saying “whoa, there!” more than once as top players landed monstrous deals with new teams.
Of course, nothing can officially happen until 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday when the NFL’s 2016 offseason officially begins. But the so-called “legal tampering period” has already yielded some very interesting developments, which we’ll dive into momentarily.
Here’s a look at the biggest stories from Tuesday’s action, along with some perspective about what it all means.
Note: All salary cap information courtesy of Spotrac.com.
1. Jacksonville is dedicated to contending as soon as possible
There were a few major stunners on Tuesday, and this was one of them: Malik Jackson reportedly agreed to terms on a six-year deal worth up to $90 million with $42 million fully guaranteed, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver.
The Super Bowl 50 champion Denver Broncos lost one of their top stars because of this deal, and after news broke of the money involved it was easy to see why. Jacksonville, with the most cap space of any team in the league, had no issue opening up its pocket book to land this top defensive star.
While in Denver, Jackson played next to dynamic pass rusher Von Miller. He’ll now anchor a defensive line that will feature another dynamic pass rusher in untested Dante Fowler Jr., who missed all of his rookie campaign with a torn ACL.
Jacksonville also owns the No. 5 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft and could easily add another impact defensive player like defensive back Jalen Ramsey or linebacker/safety hybrid Myles Jack.
Combined with a potent young offense that can score points with anyone, this team has the potential to not only make the playoffs but also be quite a handful to overcome in the postseason.
Chris Ivory, who is expected to make more than $6 million per season.
Ivory had a breakout campaign as the primary back of the New York Jets in 2015, racking up 1,070 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. He’ll provide some steady balance on the ground, along with T.J. Yeldon, to complement Blake Bortles and the explosive passing attack of the Jaguars’ offense.
These moves set up what should be an exciting off-season for the Jaguars and their fans. Clearly, owner Shahid Khan isn’t content to languish in mediocrity any longer, and it’s likely this team isn’t close to being done landing top free agents.
Another thing the big signings signaled Tuesday is a shift in how players perceive Jacksonville as a free agency destination. Like tight end Julius Thomas last year, both Ivory and Jackson obviously sees things trending up in the future, as they should.
2. Oakland not afraid to overpay to get what it wants
Like Jacksonville, Oakland entered free agency with a yacht full of money to spend. And boy, general manager Reggie McKenzie definitively proved he’s not afraid to spend it with a couple of blockbuster moves on Tuesday.
The Raiders aggressively pursued offensive guard Kelechi Osemele starting on Monday and were competing with the Minnesota Vikings, among other teams, to land him.
Before midday on Tuesday Rand Getlin of NFL Network dropped the news that Oakland had landed him, and when the terms of the deal were reported it was understandable why they had wrestled him away from all other contenders. Osemele can earn up to $60 million over five years on this new deal, which he’ll reportedly sign as soon as the new league year commences on Wednesday.
The deal makes Osemele one of the top five earners of any offensive lineman in the NFL, including offensive tackles. He played inside at guard for the Baltimore Ravens (and should stay there, if at all possible, with the Raiders) but is versatile enough that he could be moved to either tackle position, if that’s what Oakland has in mind.
. He was the top pass rusher on the market entering free agency and should be an absolute nightmare to defend playing opposite of Khalil Mack.
The terms of this deal aren’t yet known, but given the fact he was being pursued by multiple other teams it’s likely he’s raking in some serious dough as well.
Another rumor was floated by Getlin on Tuesday that indicates the big spending by McKenzie isn’t over yet, either. He’s reportedly going after Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin, who would be a tremendous addition to an ever growing list of talented offensive stars on Oakland’s roster.
3. Kansas City’s defense could be losing a centerpiece
Before this week, it was widely assumed the Kansas City Chiefs would be able to hang onto linebacker Derrick Johnson, who is the all-time franchise leader in tackles. He’s been a centerpiece for the team’s defense since being drafted No. 15 overall in 2005 and is still one of the league’s top inside linebackers in a 3-4 alignment.
However, despite general manager John Dorsey’s optimism heading into free agency, it’s starting to look like the team isn’t so sure it will hang onto Johnson as he seeks one final payday before he’s finished with the game of football. At the age of 33, he’s not likely to land another long-term deal after the one he signs this spring.
With this in mind, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports reported Tuesday that the Chiefs have been looking into a potential replacement for Johnson, who still has yet to make any sort of commitment to the organization.
https://twitter.com/CharlesRobinson/status/707354636676517888
No offense to Jerrell Freeman — a darn good player in his own right — but letting Johnson leave would be a huge blow for this franchise.
Still, business is business. The Chiefs have to be somewhat frugal this year in free agency, given the fact the team is less than $19 million under the cap. If Freeman (or another linebacker) can be brought on board for a million or two less per year and has a better chance of providing long-term support, then that’s the right move.
4. Detroit’s offense will never be the same
After deliberating for two months about potentially retiring or returning to the NFL for his 10th season, future Hall 0f Fame receiver Calvin Johnson officially filed paperwork to retire Monday morning.
In a statement released by the team, Johnson showed the same class he’s displayed for a decade as he gracefully stepped away from the game.
Statement from @Lions Calvin Johnson announcing his retirement:https://t.co/IWTheunJiL pic.twitter.com/dgTdnyDALQ
— Eamonn Reynolds (@Eamonn_Reynolds) March 8, 2016
Impossible to defend, Johnson piled up 11,619 yards, catching 731 passes along the way, 83 of which went for touchdowns. He leaves a huge hole in Detroit’s roster that won’t easily be filled.
Just as true is the fact that the $11 million in savings the Lions now receive from his retirement should help new general manager Bob Quinn make the necessary moves to get the franchise back on track.
In many ways, this is the start of a new era in Detroit.
5. Dolphins continue to invest heavily on defense, but will it matter?
After making what seemed like quite an ill-advised trade yesterday to aquire cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso from the Philadelphia Eagles, the Miami Dolphins doubled down on defense again on Tuesday.
Mario Williams is staying in the AFC East after reportedly agreeing to a two-year deal with Miami that will pay him $8 million per year.
On the surface, all by itself, this seems like a pretty darn good move. After all, Williams is far from washed up, even though he suffered through his worst season in years in Buffalo in 2015. He played out of position and in the wrong scheme and could be quite successful playing for Miami this year.
But combined with last year’s horrible decision to overpay Ndamukong Suh and the trade to land an overpaid mediocre cornerback in Maxwell and an injury prone linebacker in Alonso, it seems clear the Dolphins are determined to spend money in all the wrong places these days.
Just as we saw last year, Miami is leaving the offense (and more specifically quarterback Ryan Tannehill) up a creek without a paddle. The quarterback has never had a reliable offensive line to play behind, getting sacked an average of 46 times per season in his first four years in the league.
If the Dolphins are going to spend a bunch of money on anything, it should be on an offensive line. The NFL is still a game in which dominant defenses can win games, but Miami continues to ignore its franchise quarterback, who must have protection of he’ll never live up to the potential they’re paying him for.
6. Buffalo’s offense bullish on Incognito
Heading into free agency it seemed like left guard Richie Incognito might bolt for greener pastures. The Bills were reportedly growing frustrated during their contract talks just last week, but all that is in the rear-view mirror now that Incognito has agreed to re-sign with the franchise on a three-year deal worth $15 million.
This was a huge win for Buffalo, which also retained left tackle Cordy Glenn for at least one more year after he signed his $13.7 million franchise tender.
The left side of Buffalo’s offensive line was a powerhouse last year, with Glenn and Incognito mowing down their competition on a regular basis. The Bills rushed for 2,432 yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry thanks in large part to these two road graders.
After the deal was reported, Incognito himself gave credence to the rumors when he tweeted “Who’s ready for 3 more years of DOMINATION in Buffalo!!!!”
He also let it be known he left some money on the table in free agency out of a sense of loyalty to the Bills, who gave him a chance to come back into the league when nobody else would last year following his bullying scandal in Miami.
Good stuff, all around.
7. Houston trying to fix offense in one fell swoop
The Houston Texans feature quite a fearsome defense. It’s a championship-caliber defense that could potentially do great things in the playoffs, but thanks to a perennially abysmal offense this franchise has won just two playoff games in its 14-year history.
Last season, quarterback Brian Hoyer crumbled like stale wafers when he hit the big stage, turning the ball over five times in the embarrassing 30-0 wild card loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He’s clearly not a long-term or short-term answer for a team that actually has many of the pieces in place to win a championship.
Combined with the loss of running back Arian Foster, who was recently released, the Texans have two gigantic holes to fill at two key positions on offense. And it appears they’re trying to fill them both in free agency. This makes sense, particularly in terms of the quarterback position when you consider they own the No. 21 overall pick in the draft — not a great spot from which to land a franchise passer this year.
Brock Osweiler is being hotly pursued by the franchise to come in and settle the quarterback position. He’s reportedly narrowed down his choices to Houston or Denver (via Adam Schefter, appearing on ESPN), and given the cap issues facing the Broncos nobody should be surprised if he ends up playing for the Texans in 2016.
As a replacement for Foster, the Texans are reportedly “making a strong push” to sign Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller. He’s a perfect back for this team, given his ability to make big plays both running and catching the ball. Miami foolishly under-utilized his talents and hasn’t valued him in the way he feels he deserves.
If the Texans were able to land both Osweiler and Miller, then their offense would immediately demand more respect than it has been the past few years. Ever since Matt Schaub turned into a pick-six machine, Houston’s offense has become a comedy of errors. That would almost certainly change if things go according to plan for general manager Rick Smith.
8. San Francisco could swap one project QB for another?
With Colin Kaepernick asking the San Francisco 49ers for permission to seek a trade, it seems inevitable that he will be on his way out before the draft in late April. The 49ers will not be happy to let him go for nothing, so despite the organization’s outspoken desire to keep him in Northern California you know they’re looking for a trade partner.
If Kaepernick leaves, his absence opens the door for another quarterback to come in and compete with Blaine Gabbert for the starting job in Chip Kelly’s offense.
Many have wondered if Kelly might be interested in working with Robert Griffin III. It’s a question worth exploring, and apparently the answer is yes. Ed Werder, appearing on ESPN Tuesday, said he expects Kelly to have interest in RG3, depending on what happens with Kaepernick.
Of the two, Griffin III would actually appear to be a better fit in Kelly’s quick-hitting passing offense, which requires precise timing throws and places — above all else — an emphasis on sound decision-making. While operating in the flow of a similar offense during his rookie campaign in Washington, RG3 excelled.
On the other hand, Kaepernick has always struggled with precision, making many of his big plays while on the move when plays break down.
Both quarterbacks are projects at this point in their careers. Both would require patience and tempered expectations but could flourish in Kelly’s system if given the time to make things work. Of the two, however, RG3 makes more sense based on the fact that this would be his fresh start, while Kaepernick is seeking one for himself outside of San Francisco.