As always, week one of free agency has posed more questions than it promised to answer. How will Chip Kelly use Darren Sproles? Can Jim Harbaugh salvage the career of Jonathan Martin? What the hell is going on in Cleveland/Jacksonville/Buffalo/Cleveland/Tampa/Oakland/Cleveland? While we will have to wait until the draft so see everything shake out, now is the perfect time to take a look at the big takeaways from the week.
This might not the end of big cap increases.
As Bill Barnwell mentioned on Wednesday, teams spent $1 billion in free agency in just its first three days. Part of this is due to a loaded pool this year, including four (FOUR!) Pro Bowl defensive backs. Part of this due to the new rookie contract rules that opening up more long term money for veteran players. Most intriguing is the reason people have been pointing to for the past two weeks, the $10 million increase to the salary cap. The league says this increase is due to the new revenue sharing agreement with the players association. Basically the CBA makes it so that as the league becomes more profitable the players will get bigger contracts as a whole. If the owners are willing to spend this much money this soon (and on so many long term deals) you’d have to think the league is anticipating more cap bumps in the coming years. Next year’s increase might not reach double digits, but a team is willing to shell out $11 million dollars for Garrett Graham then the owners must know something we don't.
Denver keeps getting better.
If you don’t think that $10 million in cap room means all that much, consider the fact that the Denver Broncos just signed DeMarcus Ware for 3 years, $30 million. Yes that DeMarcus Ware, the one who has 117 sacks to his credit and hadn’t missed a game until October of last year. Ware struggled at times last year, dealing with injuries, a position change and having to play for the Dallas Cowboys. Denver also signed former Cleveland Brown TJ Ward (4 years and just $23 million) which will give defensive coordinator Jack del Rio two Pro Bowlers, both of whom took pay cut to play for their first ring. Aqib Talib is a big upgrade at corner, but Denver might regret signing him so early and not making a play at Darrelle Revis. Eric Decker’s absence will be felt, but now that the pass defense is squared away Denver can afford draft from one of the many talented receivers that will be available in the draft. And by the way…
Why the hell are teams overpaying for wideouts?
Eric Decker got five years, $36.25 million. Jacoby Jones got four years, $14 million. Even Golden **********ing Tate got $31 million over five years! Does anybody realize how many cheaper options these teams have? As many as seven wide receivers could go in the first round and many that are available in the later rounds can provide an instant impact on the right team. The Jets need several weapons for Geno Smith so the thinking behind that signing is reasonable even if the terms are not. Jones is a player whose only skill is his speed and that might not be around longer. Even though the Lions don’t have much depth behind Calvin Johnson, there is no way overpaying Golden Tate is better than picking a guy like Odell Beckham or Davante Adams for a fraction of the cost, especially when Tate’s karma is bound to run out sooner or later. It will be interesting to see what James Jones, Julian Edelman and Hakeem Nicks will get and if anybody will be willing to pay top dollar for them.
Running backs still aren’t a focus.
Running backs aren’t nearly as valuable as they used to be, and we have seen that affect the market over these last four days. Although this year’s rookie class is lacking a stud running back, there are still plenty of serviceable rushers that could help one of the many teams in need of help in the backfield. Several backups are of the board and Darren McFadden has a chance to start in Oakland. Yet Maurice Jones-Drew, Knowshon Moreno, Ben Tate and LeGarrette Blount are still without contracts coming into Friday. Jones-Drew has regressed over the last three seasons and Blount hasn’t been very consistent since coming into the league. But both are capable starters. Tate and Moreno showed last year that they are capable of starting for half the league, yet no team has pulled the trigger. Look for Atlanta or St. Louis to make a move on one of these guys over the weekend.
Steve Smith unchained!
There aren’t many things I enjoy more than we a player has a seething hatred for his former team. So when Smith, who has a history of holding grudges, was cut by the Carolina Panthers on Thursday, I was overjoyed to hear that he already was looking forward to his revenge. Even if it doesn’t end with “blood and guts everywhere,” I still can’t wait to see him playing vendetta ball on whatever team he ends up on. Don’t be surprised if Smith ends up replacing Golden Tate in Seattle (who will at Carolina and might also face off with the Panthers in the playoffs) or taking a discount to play for the division rival Saints.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
