With the majority of the Free Agency in dry cloths it’s time for a conclusion: Which changes were particularly good, which not so great? And which team currently has the strongest squad, which team is at the bottom of the league on paper? Furthermore: What effects does all this have on the draft? In the Free Agency Panel, Martin Senfter from seNFL.at, mySPOX user Petzie and SPOX editors Marcus Blumberg and Adrian Franke will discuss.
Martin Senfter (seNFL.at): Kirk Cousins to Minnesota. Without the coveted free agent, the Vikings were already among the hottest contenders for the Super Bowl victory, with the playmaker you increase your chances once again. In an extremely competitive division, this move could put you at the very top. Minnesota made all three quarterbacks, but with Captain Kirk they got a more than adequate replacement into the team. The three-year contract with 84 million dollars guaranteed is a novelty in the NFL and will make many players very happy. Cousins will especially delight his receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. You have to count on the Vikings again!
Adrian Franke (SPOX): Richard Sherman on the 49ers. Sure, the quarterbacks will make the biggest difference. I agree with you, Martin, bringing cousins now was the right step for Minnesota and opens the already opened Vikings title window wide. You have to act with this aggressiveness if you have the chance to win the title. I also liked the very team-friendly contract from Drew Brees and gives the Saints, who for their part are a very hot contender, some leeway – for example to enter the Suh race. But I still really like the Sherman deal: A very low financial risk for the Niners and the chance to get one of the top cornerbacks of the league. He already knows San Francisco’s defensive coordinator and the Scheme, addresses one of the Niners’ biggest Needs and can also be a leader for the still very young defense.
mySPOX-User Petzie: I can think of some obligations besides cousins, which I really liked; because they cover a need, strengthen the team qualitatively and were not overpaid. Patrick Robinson to the Saints, Richard Sherman to the 49ers and Marcus Peters to the Rams. Due to his off-field issues, Peters is certainly at some risk, but if the rams manage it, they have massively increased their secondary at a low price. Sherman’s deal with the 49ers is, as Adrian said, extremely team friendly, he has hardly any guarantees, many clauses in the contract and could be dismissed in the future almost without dead cap. The risk for San Francisco is hardly existent here, but if Sherman continues to perform well, they will get a good cornerback, which will improve the team defensively enormously. Robinson, former 2010 Saints first round pick, returns from Philadelphia after the best season of his career as Super Bowl Champion and should help the Saints in the slot enormously, his contract is a bargain compared to many cornerback deals of this Free Agency. All in all, I choose Marcus Peters and the Rams. No Risk, No Fun!
Marcus Blumberg (SPOX): The best commitment in the Free Agency was certainly Kirk Cousins, especially when you look at it from a player’s perspective. Not because he took a hell of a lot of ashes. But because these 84 million dollars are fully guaranteed in his three-year contract. This may be common practice in other US leagues, but it’s like a revolution in the NFL. The deal now could be groundbreaking for a future in which the NFL teams actually pay what they promise players. From a team point of view, the deal is also great, because now the Vikings, who are perhaps the best team in the league, also have a quarterback with which the very big goals can be achieved.
1. What was the best commitment of this Free Agency?
2. What was the Free Agency’s worst commitment?
3. The best team after the Free Agency is…
4. The worst team after the Free Agency is…
5. Despite the QB carousel 4 quarterbacks go into the first 6 draft picks