Biggest Winners: Los Angeles Chargers
Taking inspiration from their SoFi Stadium roommates, the Chargers have taken advantage of Justin Herbert's low cap hit and spent like crazy this offseason. New deal for vertical threat Mike Williams? Sure thing! Big ticket free agent signing (J.C. Jackson) to address a major need? Done deal. Swing a trade (Khalil Mack) to give Joey Bosa an elite running mate on the edge? Not a problem at all. Add some veteran depth pieces (Sebastian Joseph-Day, Gerald Everett, Austin Johnson) on both sides of the ball? Of course. The Chargers tendency to shoot themselves in the foot whenever it seems like they've got a really good thing going could once again rear its ugly head and lead to yet another bout of crushing disappointment for the Bolts, but for right now at least, it's impossible to not be bullish on what a team that fell 1 game shy of making the playoffs last year is capable of after loading up with the type of talent they need to take the next step as a franchise.
Honorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers
Biggest Losers: New England Patriots
Unless Bill Belichick conjures up a massive move or two ahead of the draft, his approach to the 2022 free agency period should be viewed as incredibly worrisome. He's stacked the odds against Mac Jones making a jump in year 2 by trading star guard Shaq Mason to the Bucs for peanuts, failing to add any new pieces at receiver and perhaps most shockingly, displaying no real plan to replace the defensive starters that he either cut (Kyle Van Noy) or refused to re-sign (J.C. Jackson, Dont'a Hightower) this offseason. Throw in their ambiguous plans to replace Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator and you have a bizarrely complacent, unjustifiably arrogant team that appears to be willingly committing to regressing at a time where seemingly every other in the AFC team is doing whatever they can to load up for a potential title run.
Dishonorable Mentions: Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars
Best Contract: D.J. Reed, cornerback (3 years/$33 mil/$21 mil guaranteed with the Jets)
Reed was a really solid outside corner for the past 2 seasons with the Seahawks and as a guy who had no starting experience prior to 2020 and is still only 25, boasts pretty highs odds of improving over the next few seasons. Bringing him in on such a team-friendly deal allows the Jets to immediately improve at their biggest problem area while also giving them the flexibility to draft a corner in the top 10 this year or chase a more high-profile free agent next season.
Honorable Mentions: Allen Robinson, wide receiver (3 years/$46.5 mil/$30.75 mil guaranteed with the Rams), Charvarius Ward, cornerback (3 years/$40.5 mil/$26.2 mil guaranteed with the 49ers), Marcus Maye, safety (3 years/$22.5 mil/$14.5 mil guaranteed with the Saints)
Worst Contract: Christian Kirk, wide receiver (4 years/$72 mil/$37 mil guaranteed with the Jaguars)
Fresh off an awful 2021 draft and the Urban Meyer debacle, the remarkably still employed Jaguars GM Trent Baalke handed out a deal that was so absurd and unexpected that it reset the entire WR market. Kirk has never finished a season with more than 972 YDS or 6 TD's and yet Baalke thought it was totally responsible to give him a deal that currently makes him the 10th highest paid receiver in the league in terms of AAV-which puts him ahead of guys like Tyler Lockett, Adam Thielen and reigning Super Bowl MVP/NFL receiving triple crown winner Cooper Kupp. Kirk's deal became even more ludicrous after center Brandon Linder unexpectedly announced his retirement over the weekend, dealing a huge blow to a Jags offensive line that was already quite shaky. If Kirk ends up playing out the duration of this contract in Jacksonville, it should be considered a huge success.
Dishonorable Mentions: Randy Gregory, edge rusher (5 years/$70 mil/$28 mil guaranteed with the Broncos), Harold Landry, edge rusher (5 years/$87.5 mil/$52.5 mil guaranteed with the Titans), Zay Jones, wide receiver (3 years/$24 mil/$14 mil guaranteed with the Jaguars)
Best Player Still Available: Tyrann Mathieau
Once the safety market got cooking with the signings of Marcus Williams, Jordan Whitehead and Justin Reid-who just happens to be his expected replacement in Kansas City- on Days 3-5 of free agency, it seemed like Mathieau would sign a deal in short order. Nearly 2 weeks later and Mathieau is still without a home. Fortunately for the Honey Badger, there are still plenty of contending teams (Chargers, Bucs, 49ers, Broncos, Colts, Browns) that need safety help, so he should have no problem landing in a place that will give him an opportunity to land his 2nd Super Bowl ring.
Honorable Mentions: Bobby Wagner, J.C. Tretter, Calias Campbell
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