The Early Winners and Losers of NFL Free Agency
Free agency started on Monday and it started slow, but by late Monday things started to heat up. Tuesday was absolutely crazy, with a number of huge signings and unexpected deals. By the time the actual start of the Free agent window, we more-less knew what will be going to happen.
Is it smart to spend big in March, and does it guarantee that you will be smiling next February? Well, no. Getting better on paper through free agency is a dangerous gamble. History thought us that is much smarter to invest into young prospects and develop them, instead to spend big and buy mature players that maybe won’t fit into the system, or will get seriously injured in pre-season.
With this early moves on free agency market, many NFL teams’ draft plans have notably changed. Now with the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine is officially over, and talent evaluators, coaches, and executives have pulled up stakes from Indianapolis with a clearer mind about the top prospects in next month’s NFL Draft. Sports betting NFL Draft outcome is really interesting and can be very profitable if you know where to find value and how to exploit it. There are several reputable sources where you can find nice information and suggestions what bets to take and what are interesting lines. For example, Casino Guru advisors on sports betting and online casinos made some really nice predictions in the past.
So who are the biggest winners and biggest losers of the free agency so far?
BIGGEST WINNER
New Orleans Saints
Maybe not the most obvious choice, but for me, New Orleans Saints did an excellent job. They signed future Hall of Famer, QB Drew Brees for another two years in a lucrative $50 million contract. It was obvious that Brees wants to stay in New Orleans and to try and win another Super Bowl, but he had all the leverage this time, waited and at the end squeezed the Saints GM for a great deal. Despite Brees is 39 years old, he has plenty of gas left in the tank.
BIGGEST LOSERS
New England Patriots
Well this is an obvious choice, right? Don’t get me wrong. New England Patriots will still have the legendary coach on the sideline in Bill Belichick and also they will have a future Hall of Famer QB Tom Brady (who is 40 years old). And Patriots will probably live to see another 12+ win season and will play in the play offs, but after the cruel loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII, it is understandable to feel a bit concerned about the situation at the moment.
Patriots lost CB Malcolm Butler, who signed a colossal five-year deal that is worth more than $61 million and went to Tennessee Titans as a free agent. Butler, the former Pro Bowler and Super Bowl hero whose career in New England ended with his benching last month for Super Bowl LII, will leave a huge hole in Patriots secondary. Joining him is RB Dion Lewis, who signed a four-year, $20 million deal with Tennessee.
Patriots also lost WR Danny Amendola, who left for a division rival, signing $12 million deal with Miami Dolphins. But maybe the biggest blow is the loss of LT Nate Solder. Brady with his departure stays unprotected on his blind side.
