The NFL offseason has seen a flurry of activity with teams shuffling their rosters in preparation for the 2023 season. As expected, some players have landed more lucrative deals than others, while some teams have clinched the best bargains.
Early Free Agency Moves Make an Impact on 2023 Season
The early free agency moves have seen some teams making significant improvements to their lineups. The New Orleans Saints acquired quarterback Derek Carr, providing a potential successor to the legendary Drew Brees. Meanwhile, Jimmy Garoppolo signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, hoping to resurrect his career after a string of injuries.
One of the biggest free agency signings saw top tackle Orlando Brown Jr. join the Cincinnati Bengals. Brown’s addition is aimed at protecting franchise quarterback Joe Burrow, who has been sacked 92 times over the last two years. Brown’s signing marks a significant improvement for the Bengals’ offensive line and will help take them to the next level.
Teams and Players Prioritize Interests in Free Agency
In free agency, both teams and players prioritize their own interests. This means some players land lucrative deals, while some teams procure steals. Three player-friendly deals that have caught our attention are Taylor Heinicke’s two-year $14 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons; Adam Thielen’s three-year $25 million deal with the Carolina Panthers; and Josh Oliver’s three-year $21 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings.
Heinicke’s contract should give pause to football fans. Despite his lackluster performance in 2022, Heinicke scored a generous salary increase to become one of the highest-paid backup quarterbacks in league history. The Falcons may have focused on finding a starting quarterback instead of investing in backup options like Heinicke.
Thielen is another player who received special treatment during negotiations. The veteran wide receiver saw his stats decline in 2022, but still received a new contract. The Panthers needed to add pass catchers to their lineup, but Thielen’s contract may have been too high a price to pay for an aging player with declining numbers.
Oliver’s contract, meanwhile, is perhaps the most puzzling of the three. With only 26 receptions in four seasons, it’s hard to see why he deserves a three-year, $21 million contract. History shows that contracts for blocking tight ends can be strong in value, but Oliver’s relative lack of experience makes this particular deal a head-scratcher.
NFL Power Panel Ranks Early Offseason Moves
A power panel comprised of writers, editors, and TV personalities ranked NFL teams 1-32 and identified the under-the-radar moves they made over the past two weeks. The top five teams–Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Buffalo Bills–saw significant improvements from their under-the-radar deals.
The Chiefs’ hiring of Matt Nagy as offensive coordinator was seen as a particularly savvy move given his success developing the Chicago Bears’ offense. Similarly, signing offensive lineman Cody Ford to shore up the offense was widely applauded. Meanwhile, quarterback Marcus Mariota signed with the Eagles for an economical price as the team prioritizes finding a No. 1 backup quarterback.
The Bills also landed a great deal with defensive coordinator Al Holcomb after losing Leslie Frazier for a year. Holcomb comes with impressive credentials and should be a valuable addition to the team.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead to the NFL draft on April 27th, it’ll be interesting to see how teams continue their work to improve their rosters. For now though, many teams can look back at free agency moves with pride knowing they made smart business decisions that will benefit them throughout the upcoming 2023 season.
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