The NFL free agency period started Monday and the shakeups around the league have fans excited. Big names have found homes, while other free agents are waiting to see where some players fall and how much they get paid, as they reaffirm their pricepoint depending on their counterpart deals. Let’s take a look at three of the bigger stories so far as Day 2 of free Agency has begun.
The Running Backs Are Getting Paid
The running back market was full of value, and over the last few years, the amount they’ve garnered has changed. Saquon Barkley, the highly touted Penn State graduate, landed in Philadelphia. A huge pickup and a solid payday at three-year, $37.75 million. Former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard replaced free agent Derrick Henry in Tennessee with a three-year $24 million deal.
Top 5 market money for the running back position, slowing down the narrative that quality running backs are still of high value in the league. Joe Mixon was traded to the Houston Texans this morning.
A team linked heavily to Saquon Barkley found a logical and solid replacement for their running back, Devin Singletary. The Florida Atlantic running back replaced Saquon at the Giants on a three-year $16.5 million deal that could be worth up to $19.5 million.
Kirk Cousins Founds His New Home in Atlanta
The Falcons were reported to be the strongest competition for Minnesota before free agency. They showed how serious they were within three hours. Atlanta has a promising defense and some high-level skill position players; however, quarterback Spencer Rattler was not cutting it, ultimately costing the Falcons the divisional championship this past season. Monday quarterback Kirk Cousins agreed to a four-year deal with the club.
A 35-year-old QB coming off of an Achilles injury signing a 4-year/$180 million contract, with a $100 million guaranteed is steep. However, if the Falcons believe they have their guy who can get the ball efficiently to receiver Drake London and TE Kyle Pitts there will be no complaints, the first season at least.
Where Does Justin Fields land and what are the Bears prepared to do?
The biggest loser in NFL free agency has not been a team; it has been Justin Fields’ trade value that continues to drop day by day. With Cousins signing in Atlanta and Russell Wilson landing in Pittsburgh, there are not many places and spaces where Fields will be given a chance to be the starter next season.
The Bears have made it known that they will be taking a quarterback in the first round of the NFL draft, foreshadowing the end of their relationship with the Ohio State product. However, the Chicago Bears have a big decision to make, holding two top-ten picks.
Will they take Caleb Williams, will they take low trade value for Fields? There are a lot of questions that need answers in Chicago.
