Winners and losers of a busy opening day of free agency
The NFL’s free agency period is just barely 24 hours old, but why not make a few knee-jerk assessments? Our winners and losers on the heels of Tuesday’s frenzied market activity: WINNERS Jairus Byrd: He didn’t get left tackle money. That’s because he exceeded it. Byrd’s six-year, $54 million pact sets a new standard for safeties and underscores the importance of free-ranging ballhawks in a passing league. A thank you note to Earl Thomas is in order. Falcons: GM Thomas Dimitroff was true to his word and fortified his trenches by re-signing DT Jonathan Babineaux before adding DE Tyson Jackson, NT Paul Soliai and G Jon Asamoah. Armed with personnel comfortable in a 3-4 defensive scheme, the Falcons are also now clearly in play for OLB Khalil Mack with the sixth pick of the draft. DeMarcus Ware: Want to play for a winner? Want to go back to outside linebacker for a 3-4 defense? Pick your spot, big guy. You’re younger and more scheme-versatile than fellow pass rushers Jared Allen and Julius Peppers, so we’d guess your market will be just fine even though you’re coming off your worst season. Jonathan Martin: Congratulations, you’ve been liberated from the Dolphins. LOSERS Jonathan Martin: Sorry, you’re a 49er now and have little chance of playing behind two decisively superior tackles, Joe Staley and Anthony Davis. Take the time to improve the run blocking your new team might one day demand of you. Raiders: They’re short on talent (but long on cap space), yet let arguably their two best players – Veldheer and DE Lamarr Houston – walk for nothing. Oakland replaced Veldheer with Saffold but paid an extra $7.5 million over five years with a move that’s probably lateral at best. Hard to fathom why GM Reggie McKenzie didn’t franchise Houston if he planned to let Veldheer go, either. History smiles on teams that build from within and frowns on those who rely on free agency, so you might want to go to two eye patches, Raider Nation. Browns: They essentially swapped S T.J. Ward for Donte Whitner and LB D’Qwell Jackson for Karlos Dansby. Yes, Cleveland got older at both spots and may not have gotten any better. Whitner’s deal also cost more than what Ward received from the Broncos. New coach Mike Pettine may consider Whitner and Dansby slightly better scheme fits, but let’s not confuse them with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed ... or even Kiko Alonso and Jairus Byrd. Alex Smith: Goodbye, Branden Albert. Goodbye, Geoff Schwartz. Goodbye, Jon Asamoah. Goodbye, 28 collective offensive line starts. Goodbye, Dexter McCluster and your 53 catches last year. Better hope Eric Fisher takes a big step forward in 2014 while back at the left tackle spot that made him the top pick of last year’s draft. And that Andy Reid and John Dorsey find you another receiving weapon. Cornerbacks: None are approaching Darrelle Revis money – the deal he signed last year was to average $16 million annually – including, apparently, Revis as he heads for the chopping block himself. Neither Vontae Davis, Aqib Talib nor Alterraun Verner came in at $10 million per Tuesday, bad news for a robust market that still includes Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Carlos Rogers, Charles Tillman, Captain Munnerlyn and many others. (USA Today/MCT)