Welcome to the fifth edition of Pombo’s Weekly Football Rewind. This weekly series will go in depth about the latest news, rumors, signings, and trades of the past week.
The Patriots make a Splash
Once “free agency” opened up the Patriots went on a signing spree as they inked tight end Jonnu Smith, linebacker Matthew Judon, safety Jalen Mills, defensive linemen Davon Godchaux and Henry Anderson. Along with receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne on the first day of free agency. It was a wildly uncharacteristic approach, as the Patriots have been accustomed to sitting out the first day of free agency. Sure, there are some outliers like Stephon Gilmore in 2017, but this felt different.
Even Patriots owner Robert Kraft acknowledged the Patriots’ approach of spending to Peter King:
“And in my 27 years as owner, I’ve never had to come up with so much capital before.”
Bill Belichick and the Patriots did not stop spending after the first day of “free agency.”
The Patriots signed tight end Hunter Henry, linebacker Kyle Van Noy, offensive lineman Ted Karras, defensive tackle Montravius Adams, linebacker Raekwon McMillan, and re-signed center David Andrews, kicker Nick Folk, along with defensive linemen Deatrich Wise and Carl Davis during the “free agency” period.
So, what exactly sparked the Patriots to spend over $160 million in guaranteed money?
There are multiple reasons, but the most prominent reason is the opportunity that was presented. The NFL salary cap plummeted from $198.2 million in 2020, to $182.5 million in 2021. A plethora of teams were pressed for cash, and were forced to either release or trade talent on their roster to meet the salary cap. The Patriots were not one of those teams, as they entered free agency with an abundance of cap space. Due to the lack of suitors for top-tier free agents, the Patriots took advantage.
The other reason for the spending spree is simple. The Patriots were 7-9 in 2020, and had a multitude of holes on their roster. Repairing the roster on both sides of the ball would not be easy, it would take a lot of work.
The Patriots may have spent through the nose in the first week of free agency, but being the biggest spender in free agency guarantees nothing.
The Bucs Stay Intact
Coming into the offseason, the Bucs had a plethora of key free agents. It was widely assumed that the core of this team would break up. With free agents such as Chris Godwin, Shaq Barrett, Lavante David, Rob Gronkowski, it would take a lot to bring back that particular group of players.
But, Tampa Bay acted swiftly, as they placed the franchise tag on Godwin, gave David a two-year deal worth $25 million, gave Gronk a 1-year deal worth up to $10 million, and gave Barrett a monster extension worth $68 million over four-years.
The Bucs keeping their core together is one of the most important storylines of the offseason, yet is one that goes unnoticed. The Bucs were able to create a plethora of cap space from the Tom Brady’s contract restructure.
The Bucs are in a good position in 2021, as they look poised to make another serious run. Something tells me their not done either. I’d be surprised if they don’t add a running back, or another receiver for Tom Brady.
Kenny Golladay Heads to the Meadowlands
The wide receiver market has turned out to be a big dud, but that did not stop Kenny Golladay from securing the bag.
The 27 year old reached a four-year deal worth $72 million with the New York Giants. The deal includes $40 million guaranteed, and the contract can reach $76 million if he hits all of his incentives.
Golladay is coming off a season in which he only played in five games, and only hauled in 20 receptions.
Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin both received the franchise tag, so Golladay was widely considered to be the best receiver on the market.
Daniel Jones now has an expensive number one target, who will certainly help the Giants offensively. Golladay has averaged 16.8 yards per reception in the first four seasons of his career.
But, with a contract with that amount of money tied to it, the expectations will be and should be high for Golladay.
Golladay’s AAV of $18 million a season ties him with Tyreek Hill and Odell Beckham Jr. for the 6th highest amongst receivers in the NFL. Does he deserve to be in the same echelon as those receivers?
Will Fuller Takes His Talents to South Beach
The Miami Dolphins were need of an upgrade at wide receiver, and they got it with Will Fuller. The soon to be 27 year old Will Fuller agreed to a 1-year deal worth $9.6 million with the Dolphins, and the contract also contains $3 million worth of incentives.
There’s no denying Fuller’s ability to stretch the field, but, there are question marks surrounding Fuller. One being that Fuller still has to finish his six-game suspension, after he violated the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. After missing the last five games of the 2020 season, Fuller will miss out on week 1 of the 2021 season.
Fuller has also never played in a full 16 game season, he’s dealt with a variety of injuries throughout his career.
But, he’s coming off a career season in receptions, yards, touchdowns, and yards per reception.
With the addition of Fuller, the Dolphins now have some options heading into the Draft. Sure, they could draft a receiver with the third-overall pick, but it’s less of a pressing need as it was coming into the offseason.
If Fuller can stay healthy, the Dolphins offense should take another step forward, especially when it comes to big plays.
Juju Smith-Schuster Sticks in Pittsburgh
In a surprising sequence of events, Juju Smith-Schuster has agreed to a one-year contract worth $8 million with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It felt like a forgone conclusion that Smith-Schuster would be moving on from the Steelers, but the two-sides figured out a way to make it work.
The 24 year old is coming off of a career high in touchdown catches.
In a pedestrian wide receiver market, Smith-Schuster must have felt that taking the one-year deal would give him the best chance to cash in, in 2022 when the salary cap is set to skyrocket.
The Bears having a Starting Quarterback
The Bears started off the offseason “big game hunting” for quarterbacks such as Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson, and to a lesser extent guys like Sam Darnold and Jimmy Garoppolo.
But, to this point, none of that has come to fruition. However, the Bears did agree to a contract with a quarterback, and that quarterback told the media, “they told me I was the starter.”
Now, the quarterback that the Bears chose to sign was, Andy Dalton.
The Bears agreed to a one-year deal worth $10 million with Dalton, and is worth $13 million if he hits all of his incentives.
I hate this decision for a multitude of reasons. I understand that coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace are in “win-now mode.” But, Dalton was not the best solution here.
Ryan Fitzpatrick was the best veteran quarterback on the market, and would have acted as a real upgrade. Fitzpatrick is not the long-term answer, but he can get you through the season, especially if he gets hot.
Even Mitchell Trubisky would have been a better answer for the Bears in 2021. He’s young, knows the system, and has a 29-21 career record. Not to mention, Trubisky would have been a much cheaper option.
The offseason is not done yet, and if things fall accordingly, the Bears could land their answer at quarterback.
But, I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Trent Williams gets Paid
The 32 year old Trent Williams became the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history. The eight-time pro-bowler agreed to a six-year deal worth $138.06 million with the San Francisco 49ers. The deal included a large $30.01 million signing bonus, and included $55.1 million guaranteed.
The massive contract surpasses David Bakhtiari’s record contract by a significant margin.
Williams’ presence on the 49ers offensive line is vital to their success, and this is a deal that was expected.
According to Pro Football Focus, Williams was highest rated left tackle in football in 2020.
He’ll need to keep that type of play up to make this massive contract worth it. But, this was a deal that had to be made.
Ryan Fitzpatrick Joins His Ninth Career Team
At age 38, Ryan Fitzpatrick’s journey in the NFL is not yet finished, as he has joined his ninth NFL team.
After playing well in 2020 with the Miami Dolphins, Fitzpatrick agreed to a 1-year deal worth $10 million with the Washington Football Team. The deal can be worth a max value of $12 million with incentives.
Fitzpatrick will now join Taylor Heinicke with an expected quarterback battle on the horizon.
This move from Washington is a good one, as they’ll have the ability to compete in the short-term, while still searching for their long term answer at quarterback.
The Washington Football Team also signed receiver Curtis Samuel. Giving them a young, potent, one-two punch of Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel. This combination will be deadly for opposing defenses, as both of these players are still ascending.
The Washington Football Team will be a serious contender to win the NFC East in 2021…
The Chiefs Begin to Revamp Their Offensive Line
Patrick Mahomes was running for his life in Super Bowl LV, and the Chiefs decided to do a total makeover of their offensive line.
The Chiefs signed guard Joe Thuney to a five-year contract worth $80 million, with $32.5 million being guaranteed. Thuney has been a staple on the Patriots offensive line since 2016. Thuney has never missed a start in his career, starting 80 of 80 games. He’ll be a big upgrade for the Chiefs, and even can play a little bit of tackle, if needed.
After signing Thuney, the Chiefs were not done. In a surprise, guard Kyle Long announced that he was coming out of retirement, and he agreed to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million with the Chiefs. But, the contract could be as much as $3.5 million with incentives. The three-time pro bowler will likely slot in at right guard in 2021. If he can return to form, it could be a real steal for the Chiefs.
Despite having good options on the interior of the offensive line, both tackle positions remain a question mark.
Could a rookie really be tasked with blocking Patrick Mahomes’ blind side in 2021?