Free agency is far from over. As long as Jared Allen is out there it isn't over. The fast and furious spending of the first week of free agency is just about over. So, let's take a Flea Flicker look at some terrific signings and some signings that weren't so terrific. This is about as accurate and as significant as grading a draft as soon as that draft ends. We won't know how terrific or shitty these signings are until we see the players play some football with their new teams. We'll start with the terrific signings of the Minnesota Vikings.
DT Linval Joseph, Minnesota Vikings (5 years, $31.25 million) The Vikings have been looking for this type of defensive tackle since Pat Williams played his last game in Minnesota. That was in 2010. Running backs haven't found much resistance in the middle of the Vikings defensive line since 2010. Joseph should change that. With the re-signing of defensive Everson Griffen, the likely starting of Sharrif Floyd, and the signing of Joseph, the Vikings defensive line got much younger, bigger, and quicker.
CB Captain Munnerlyn, Minnesota Vikings (3 years, $15 million) The Vikings secondary was horrible last year. Munnerlyn has a lot of the same qualities of former Vikings corner Antoine Winfield. Tough, feisty, versatile. Those qualities were missed last year. The Vikings secondary should be greatly improved with very promising 2nd-year corner Xavier Rhodes, safety Harrison Smith, and Munnerlyn.
The new defensive ends of the Chicago Bears. For less than the amount than they would have paid Julius Peppers, the Bears added Lamarr Houston (5 years, $35 million) and Willie Young (3 years, $9 million). They certainly got younger. They probably got better. I really like the signing of Houston. He's so versatile.
CB Alterraun Verner, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4 years, $25.5 million) There are few, if any, corners that fit the defense that new coach Lovie Smith wants to run as perfectly as Verner. He'll fit in there like Rhonde Barber did for so long.
CB Darrelle Revis, New England Patriots (1 year, $12 million) Revis actually signed a two-year deal but this contract is expected to be for only one year. I would gladly trade Aqib Talib for Revis, as the Patriots basically did, without hesitation. Revis was good last year with the Buccaneers. He should be even better this year, two years removed from a torn ACL. Healthy, he's still the best corner in the NFL. I think that he returns to that form.
DT Arthur Jones, Indianapolis Colts (5 years, $33 million) Jones was near the top of my free agency wish list for the Vikings. Like Lamarr Houston, I think that Jones is a versatile lineman. He should get up to speed quickly as a result of his reunion with Chuck Pagano's defensive scheme. I think that he will thrive.
CB Nolan Carroll, Philadelphia Eagles (2 years, $5.2 million) I was very intrigued by Carroll in free agency. He seemed like one of those under-the-radar, about-to-break-out-type players. I think that the Eagles will be signing Carroll to a longer contract next year.
S Antoine Bethea, San Francisco 49ers (4 years, $23 million) I like this addition because I see it as a trade of Donte Whitner for Bethea. I like that trade, a lot, for the 49ers. He's cheaper than Whitner and I think that he's better than Whitner. I really like Bethea paired with talented second-year safety Eric Reid.
S Jairus Byrd, New Orleans Saints (6 years, $54 million) Huge contracts, as a result of free agency, rarely appeal to me as smart moves. Byrd's contract with the Saints was one of the biggest of the 2014 signing season. I like this signing for the same reason that I like the 49ers signing of Bethea, the safety-pairing that results. Byrd at the back of the Saints defense with Kenny Vaccaro should be one of the best safety tandems in the league for several years. It's also a minor miracle that the Saints were able to fit Byrd's huge contract when they had about $3 million available in cap space.
It's really not right to criticize a free agency signing before we see the player on the field with his new team but we still do. Here's some signings that, until I see otherwise, I question.
Donte Whitner, Cleveland Browns (4 years, $28 million) Whitner is a fine player but this signing bothered me for a couple of reasons. First of all, the Browns let a better safety go in T.J. Ward. If it was money that kept the Browns from re-signing Ward, it makes no sense that they signed Whitner for more money than the Denver Broncos paid to sign Ward. Second of all, the 49ers let Whitner walk and improved with his replacement. So, the Broncos are better off with the player that the Browns allowed to leave and the 49ers are better off because they let their player leave for the Browns.
Aqib Talib, Denver Broncos (6 years, $57 million) Talib is an excellent corner. He's also a very unpredictable corner and person. I think that this was the largest contract handed out in free agency. That's pretty pricey for a player that's often done some stupid stuff. If he can stay on the field and keep his wits about him, he's one of the best corners in the game. Steve Smith completely took Talib out of his game last year. I've rarely seen a player come unglued like that. This contract strikes me as a huge gamble. It could pay off huge. Or, it could be one of the worst free agent contracts in history. The Broncos did leave themselves some outs after the first and second seasons.
Sam Shields, Green Bay Packers (4 years, $39 million) A lot of the free agent corners owe a great deal of thanks to Shields. Re-signed before the start of free agency, he and his agent set the bar too high. I really like Shields as a football player but I never would have ever guessed that he'd sign for nearly $10 million/year.
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