QBs and receivers early winners of free agency
On the eve of the grand opening of the NFL’s free agent market, it became clear that the initial wave of signings will feature a strong offensive-related flavor.
Players could not sign contracts until the start of the league year at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, but discussions that took place during Monday and Tuesday’s negotiating window have made several major deals a formality. These moves reflect the limited amount of quality options available. Clubs attacked the quarterback and receiver pools with urgency because waiting to see how the top of the market developed likely would have meant missing out on difference makers.
One, former Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins, will travel to Minnesota on Wednesday to dine with Vikings officials. He’ll tour the club’s brand new facility on Thursday, and all indicators point toward him signing a deal potentially worth $28 million-plus annually (fully guaranteed) over three seasons.
When the offseason began, it seemed Cousins would have anywhere from five to seven teams pursuing him. But with pressing needs in other areas, several decided to peel off. Others had to settle for backup plans. ALL THREE Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks from last year – (from left) Case Keenum (heading to Denver Broncos), Teddy Bridgewater (off to New York Jets) and Sam Bradford (signing with Arizona Cardinals) – will be wearing new uniforms this upcoming season. Here’s a look at how things have started to shake out:
Quarterback dominoes begin to fall
The first major move became apparent very early Tuesday morning, when the Denver Broncos and Case Keenum agreed to a contract that will reportedly pay him between $18-$20 million annually. For Denver, that represents a significant savings considering the price tag on Cousins will likely top out around $10 million more per year.
The Broncos liked Cousins. Their players lobbied publicly for him. Management appreciated his talent but did have some reservations when considering Cousins’ average numbers in the red zone and spotty performances in late-game situations. People familiar with the deliberations said that Broncos brass didn’t see a significant level of separation between Keenum and Cousins and consequently opted for the more affordable option.
Keenum is an immediate upgrade over Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch. At the very least, Keenum is a quality bridge for the next year or two given general manager John Elway seems likely to pick another passer with the fifth overall pick in next month’s draft.
Elsewhere, the New Orleans Saints did the expected, hammering out a two-year deal to keep Drew Brees in black and gold. Monday featured some buzz that the Vikings had inquired about Brees’ services. But that nugget of information apparently did little more than potentially serve as a bit of leverage for Brees in his negotiations.
With Minnesota apparently in the lead for Cousins, and the Cardinals opting for Sam Bradford, the Jets were left with Teddy Bridgewater and Josh McCown.
Receiver market dries up
This wasn’t regarded as one of the best years for teams in need of wide receiver help because of a lack of game-changing talent in the draft and limited options in free agency.
That was a big reason why the Browns felt compelled last week to trade for Jarvis Landry, whom the Dolphins had designated as their franchise player. It’s also why the Chiefs forked over a three-year deal that will pay Sammy Watkins roughly $16 million per season. That’s quite a chunk of change for a wideout who recorded just 39 catches for 593 yards and eight touchdowns in 2017.
Watkins advocates argue that he’s better than last season’s numbers suggest. He was traded from Buffalo to the Rams in early August and had to play catch-up for much of the year. But Watkins, the fourth pick of the 2014 draft, has just one 1,000-yard receiving campaign to his credit. While he is a red zone threat, his 25 TD grabs since he entered the league ranks behind other wideouts from his draft class: Odell Beckham (38), Mike Evans (32), Brandin Cooks (27) and Davante Adams (26). Still, it was obviously important to the Chiefs to give new starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes another weapon to go with Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt and Travis Kelce.
Meanwhile, the Bears are set to pay Allen Robinson $42 million over three years. The former Jaguar missed all but one game last season with a torn ACL but still found a lucrative pact and the chance to prove himself while potentially setting up an even bigger deal before he turns 28.
With Watkins and Robinson quickly snapped up, Washington promptly agreed to a fiveyear, $40 million contract with speedster Paul Richardson, who provides the Redskins an element they desperately wanted to pair with Josh Doctson and slot receiver Jamison Crowder. Danny Amendola stayed in the AFC East, heading to Miami, while Jacksonville retained Marqise Lee for four years and a reported $38 million.
However moving forward it will be noteworthy how Watkins’ contract impacts Beckham, who’s entering the final year of his rookie deal. OBJ wants to become the highest-paid receiver in the league, which means exceeding the $17 million annual average that Antonio Brown draws from the Steelers. Suddenly, perhaps Beckham isn’t crazy to believe he deserves (mid-tier) quarterback money.
(USA Today/TNS)