PATRICK DAUGHERTY OFFSEASON LOW DOWN Free Agency Winners and Losers Friday, March 13, 2015 Free agency is a marathon. It’s not that a fast start is bad, it just doesn’t guarantee victory. Classes take months to build and years to judge. But this week is the opening chapter of the book, one that is often indicative of how it will end. This is not an exhaustive look at this week’s moves. For that, check out Nick Mensio’s amazing Transactions Tracker. For an equally comprehensive rundown of everyone already signed and still available, dive into Evan Silva’s 2015 NFL Free Agents. Winners — Jets 688 days elapsed between Darrelle Revis’ Jets tenures. Not one of them passed without Jets fans — or media — pining for his return. Tuesday, Gang Green’s wish was granted. Only Revis wasn’t all they got. Ascendant ex-BrownBuster Skrine has been brought in to man the slot, while Revis’ former running mate Antonio Cromartie will bookend him on the outside. A secondary that was an embarrassing weakness in 2014 is once again a strength, and ready to suffocate in tandem with one of the league’s scariest young defensive lines. New GM Mike Maccagnandidn’t just go to work on the defensive side of the ball. Brandon Marshall has been brought in to run alongside Eric Decker, while quarterback hasn’t exactly been solved, but certainly enhanced. Why teams seem to prefer quarterbacks like Brian Hoyer and Charlie Whitehurst to Ryan Fitzpatrick is anyone’s guess, but he’s a stronger bet than Geno Smith. The Jets may still be lacking the pieces to dethrone the Patriots in the AFC East, but no one is more improved this spring. Losers — 49ers The 49ers fired their brain in January. Two months later, the heart walked out. Gone are Patrick Willis and Frank Gore, and likely to follow is Justin Smith. The 49ers have made up for this body-and-soul drain by adding Torrey Smith and 33-year-old Darnell Dockett. That’s better than nothing, but no team has lost more talent over the past seven days. Maybe GM Trent Baalke’s veteran exodus was unavoidable. Or maybe Willis, Gore and Smith saw a sinking ship taking on more water, and determined it couldn’t be bailed out. History will judge Baalke’s victory overJim Harbaugh. The present has already rendered its ominous ruling. Winners — Dolphins When the Dolphins aren’t striking out on big-ticket free agents (Peyton Manning), they’re usually overpaying them (Mike Wallace). Not this year. Say what you will about Ndamukong Suh, but his six-year, $114 million contract represents fair-market value, and is a worthy gamble on a generational defensive lineman. Suh was the best defensive free agent since Mario Williams — if not Reggie White — and the Dolphins won the war without a shot being fired. Regardless of who else is added or subtracted, the Dolphins have won free agency by virtue of adding the kind of talent that only becomes available maybe once or twice per decade. Losers — Lions If someone gained generational talent Ndamukong Suh, that means another team lost him. In theory, the Lions prepared for Suh’s departure by drafting Nick Fairley one year later. Only he’s out the door, as well. GM Martin Mayhew saved a little face with the acquisition of Haloti Ngata, but Ngata is 31 and unsigned beyond next season. He’s also not Ndamukong Suh. As is the case with some of these other teams, maybe there’s nothing the Lions could have done differently. Maybe Suh was gone no matter what. All that matters is that he’s gone, and can’t be replaced. The Lions are worse than they were one month ago. It’s as simple as that.
Shall I say... Dream Team? lol, you never want to be the free agency winner. I'm not sure when the league's "free agency winner" has ever become the Super Bowl winner shortly thereafter.
I love how the Pats are notably missing as FA losers. Of note, they lost Revis, Browner, Vereen, and potentially Wilfork. AFC East is not only the most interesting division in the NFL now, but is much tighter than it has been in years.
And they are no closer to the Super Bowl than they were when they acquired Peyton Manning. They're further away, in fact. I don't mean to sound like I'm upset with the Jets; I'm actually very happy with the vast majority of our signings this year. I just don't want people to start hyping us up as the "Free agency winner."
The free agents they signed last year were part of the solution, not part of the problem. Sanders, Ware, etc. played great last year.
but, but, but we were building through the draft with Millner and McDougle as key building blocks . . .
Lmao!! The Patriots have clearly lost. The Pats forums are going nuts with how pissed they are that they haven't done anything. Yet of course, they don't make the list haha
can't see how the Giants are winners.. Vereen was an absolute steal, granted, but their other moves involved guaranteed money for second rate guys imo.. agree that the Dolphins and Bills have improved. also agree that the Eagles are currently having the most confusing offseason i can remember in a long time. i don't think that will end well either.. maybe that's how the Giants are winners after all?
the icing on the Revis deal, was watching the Pats defense dramatically change. they likely lost Browner in the process of retaining Revis too. thing of beauty.. why they didn't sign Vereen for a comparable deal as the Giants did, i'll never know.. and seeing as how i actually like Wilfork, i'm glad he's finally off that classless team. hope they don't decide to re-sign..
Of course! They wanted one of the two. Revis leaves and signs with the Jets. In the meantime, while Revis is deciding, New England doesn't want to pick up Browners option in case they can sign Revis, but they also don't want to lose Browner in case Revis leaves. Revis signs with the Jets and New Orleans swoops in and steals Browner. Lmao! Fuckin awesome
Agree with these two. What? The Dolphins have basically gutted their entire team. Their only guard that has proven a damn thing, lost both their starting DTs from last year. Lost Gibson and Hartline. Will probably lose Clay. Have a COMPLETELY untenable 2016 cap situation, including NLTBE bonuses on Cameron's contract. They acquired a second all-or-nothing deep threat in Stills for a 3rd rounder even though they have a highly-paid carbon copy in Mike Wallace... yet they run a dink-and-dunk offense with one of the worst deep ball passers in the NFL. The Dolphins screwed themselves big-time in this free agency IMO.
You know, I just read through all of this. I don't know how the hell Miami is considered a winner. Miami has holes at Receiver, Offensive Line, and Running Back. So what do they do? They go out and sign the most expensive free agent on the market, a defensive lineman. Mike Wallace is now being released, they released Brian Hartline, and they lost Clay, who was a very good tight end. They signed Stills, who isn't anything to brag about, and they still have huge holes at offensive line and running back. They had the chance to go after guys like Demarco Murray and CJ Spiller. They had chances to go after some solid offensive lineman, but instead, they decide to destroy their cap and sign a defensive lineman. I don't get it. The real winners should be teams that improved their areas of need. Used free agency to fill holes on the roster. We did just that. We went out and completely overhauled our secondary, the second biggest hole on this team, we signed a veteran number one receiver, and we signed a good veteran QB stop gap to help us until we find a franchise player. That's the definition of winning free agency, not just going out and signing the biggest name.
They made a Super Bowl appearance and lost. I'm quite sure they were deemed winners when they acquired Peyton Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I fully agree. They only are bc of the shiny signing of suh which I think is a massive mistake for them. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Of course. That's why this is all bullshit. A team goes out and signs the biggest name available. Pays him an ungodly amount of money. They fill no hole on their roster. They are labeled a winner of free agency lol
