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The NFL free-agent frenzy continued on Friday, with a handful of big-name players remaining on the open market.
In the last 24 hours, however, the biggest news in the NFL world didn’t concern free-agent signings, but rather, a blockbuster trade. The Green Bay Packers shocked the league on Thursday evening when they traded star wideout Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders for a first- and second-round pick in this year’s draft, as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.
The Packers had franchise tagged Adams as he was set to become an unrestricted free agent, but the wideout informed the team he wouldn’t play on the tag.
That’s the second major, franchise-altering move the Raiders have made this week, after signing Chandler Jones in free agency, and it continues to shake up the AFC West.
Back in the world of players who actually hit free agency this week, we saw a few players returning to their teams, a couple splashy signings (including Tom Brady reuniting with an old New England Patriots teammate) and a rare deal in principle that fell apart due to a player failing his physical.
Let’s take a closer look at the headlines that have surfaced in the NFL in the last 24 hours and then preview the big-name free agents who remain on the board as of Friday at 4 p.m. ET.
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One theme of free agency on Thursday evening and into Friday was players staying with their teams.
After declining linebacker Leighton Vander Esch’s fifth-year option in May 2021, the Cowboys re-signed the former first-round pick to a one-year deal, as Rapoport reported. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the deal is up to $3 million.
The other player who’s headed back to his former team was barely on the open market at all. The Philadelphia Eagles released defensive tackle Fletcher Cox with a post-June 1 designation on Thursday…but then reports surfaced that the veteran would re-sign with the Eagles on a one-year deal, as local weekly sports show Let’s Go to the Phones reported (h/t NBC Philadelphia’s John Clark).
Cox was owed $18 million in guaranteed salary at Thursday’s deadline, and the team needed to lower his salary, hence the, er, release and catch.
Elsewhere in the league, the Buffalo Bills continued to clear out cap space by releasing defensive tackle Star Lotulelei and the Cincinnati Bengals released starting center Trey Hopkins.
Along with a handful of one-year deals, there were a couple splashy signings Friday, including the San Francisco 49ers signing former Colts safely George Odum to a three-year, $10.95 million deal (per Rapoport).
Former Cleveland Browns tight end Austin Hooper is off to the Tennessee Titans on a one-year deal worth $6 million, per Pelissero. That wasn’t the biggest Browns news of the day, as Deshaun Watson, “in a stunning change of events,” per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, decided he would actually like to play for the Cleveland Browns after all.
The Chicago Bears signed former Packers wideout Equanimeous St. Brown to a one-year deal (per Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson), but the bigger Bears news on Friday was who won’t be joining the team.
The Bears made much fanfare out of signing defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi to a three-year, $40.5 million contract this week, and general manager Ryan Poles said he “embodies everything we are looking for in a Bear.” Unfortunately, Ogunjobi failed his physical, and Poles said that for “the best interest of protecting the Chicago Bears,” the team would not sign him. The Bears then signed former Chargers defensive tackle Justin Jones to a two-year deal, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Defensive back Logan Ryan, who won two Super Bowls with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, per Rapoport.
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Though we’re three days into 2022 free agency, there are still plenty of big-name players who remain on the open market.
The wide receiver market, in particular, remains robust, with Julio Jones, Jarvis Landry, Will Fuller, Jamison Crowder, T.Y. Hilton, JuJu Smith-Schuster, A.J. Green and Odell Beckham, Jr. are all still looking for new landing spots.
It’s a veteran market, to be sure, but a team that has a window to contend could do well to add some experience at the position.
On the defensive side of the ball, inside linebacker Bobby Wagner, outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith, defensive end Dante Fowler Jr., and safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Landon Collins are some of the biggest names we could see agree to contracts in the coming days.
There are also a handful of veteran left tackles looking for new deals, including Nate Solder, Terron Armstead and Duane Brown.
Free agent and salary information via Spotrac.
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