The first day of free agency hasn’t officially begun yet, but there are already two big winners in the NFC. After two losses a year ago, Atlanta and the Giants may have found a way to turn their fortunes around with two huge contracts.
Kirk Cousins is currently a member of the Falcons, which is a hell of a coup as long as he stays healthy. It’s not often you find a way to acquire a top-tier quarterback without giving up the moon in return, but the Falcons did just that. They add an elite quarterback while keeping their draft capital intact.
Sure, it cost a lot of money, but the salary cap is largely a fabricated structure. Especially when the offense’s three core weapons in Bijan Robinson, Drake Rondon, and Kyle Pitts are all on rookie contracts. This essentially means that Cousins’ time in Atlanta will likely be over when the time comes to really feel the appeal of these rookies. Add in the fact that our JP Acosta has the Falcons selecting LSU receiver Malik Nabors with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and you have a scenario where this team could legitimately have the most feared offense in the entire conference. It’s done. Not just the NFC South, but the entire NFC – and add to that a defense that was already in the middle of the league in 2023. many Better organized under Raheem Morris and Jimmy Lake.
I’m a big fan of this Falcons team. They need to get through the NFC South and make the playoffs, and anything is possible from there. Essentially this team lost Matt Ryan, went a few years without him, and then signed a new Matt Ryan. If you watched Atlanta last year, you know how scary this team would have been if they had a halfway decent quarterback. Now they have more than that.
Meanwhile, the Giants achieved the best of the day, completing a trade for disgruntled edge rusher Brian Burns to the Carolina Panthers. The Pro Bowler has been unable to reach a long-term deal with the Panthers for the past two years, despite previously claiming that it was part of his future plans. With new head coach Dave Canales taking over, Burns was deemed expendable, and the Panthers traded him for a second-round pick (39th overall) and a fifth-round pick.
New York wasted no time in paying their new player, as Barnes agreed to a five-year, $150 million contract with $87.5 million guaranteed.
To be honest, this is a win-win move, despite the many qualms surrounding this deal. Barnes had a hard time adjusting to Elijah Evero’s new 3-4 defense in 2023, which focused on Derrick Brown as the anchor. Barnes showed signs of brilliance, but it wasn’t as noticeable as the Panthers had hoped. Perhaps the Panthers were worried about a long-term contract.Meanwhile, the Giants know that’s right How do they use a player with a skill set like Barnes, because they already have the skill set in Kayvon Thibodeau? Barnes and Thibs will be a fun pairing.
This is great for the Giants. That’s because the Giants have a ridiculous amount of flexibility with the No. 6 pick. They could stay and acquire a quarterback, add a receiver, or trade down to a QB-hungry team to accumulate a bigger war chest. The pressure to get more pass rush off their shoulders allows this team to play and it’s a lot of fun.
Of course, this is before mentioning the other great signings the team has made. A solid, if not explosive, trio of RB Devin Singletary, OT Jermaine Elemunor, and OG Jon Runyan Jr. revamped the G-Men’s offensive line, adding durability that Saquon sorely lacked. Gives a short yardage back. Berkeley.
Yes, the Giants have some issues too. It wouldn’t be fun to see Barkley in an Eagles jersey twice a year, and Xavier McKinney is irreplaceable and very safe, but Brian Daboll’s team is built in the trenches. . And Monday’s move really helps rebuild this team. positive way. I also love what the Giants did.
Loser: Minnesota Vikings
I Really Like the three big signings the Vikings made on Monday. Jonathan Greenard is a promising pass rusher if a little shaky, Blake Cashman is great returning to Minnesota and strengthens the team’s run-stopping ability, and Andrew Van Ginkel is a great rotation piece. .
Here comes the problem. It’s impossible to overlook what the Vikings lost on Monday. This was a team that would likely take even bigger strides forward with their built offense and hope to make the playoffs in 2024. Now that’s all gone. At this very moment, no one in the NFL has a worse quarterback situation than Minnesota. Their “competitive rebuild” failed because the team could neither be competitive nor rebuild.
The situation under center is dire. With the risk of Justin Jefferson wanting to leave, this team can’t afford to punt the season and look to 2025. There’s probably no one left who could sign and compete at nearly the same level as Kirk Cousins at this point, which would likely tie the franchise’s hands to trading up in the draft.
Today’s three defensive signings seem to indicate that Daniel Hunter will also be leaving. Hunter will command more than the Vikings wanted in free agency, which is fine on its own, but it’s a huge deal when it means they lost their starting quarterback and best pass rusher in the same afternoon. It will be a dark day.
If we don’t rebuild that now, we won’t be competitive.
Winner: Green Bay Packers
The Packers made two monumental moves Monday that thrust them back into the conversation in the NFC North.
The team has significantly improved its offensive line by signing Josh Jacobs. The former Raiders running back is a bonafide 1,000-yard rusher with receiving chops that were underutilized in Las Vegas. This opens up more doors for Jordan Love, and the team is poised to take a step forward offensively after their surprising playoff run in 2023.
The player who received a bigger contract was the aforementioned Xavier McKinney. One of the best safeties in the NFL, he currently slots in next to Jaire Alexander and helps withstand the pressure of Jonathan Owens, who struggled mightily last season.
To top this all off, you have to take into account that the Packers are better because the Vikings got hit today. Overall, it was a very good day for the Packers.
Winner: Brian Burns
After waiting two years to get an extension, one of the top pass rushers on the market finally got it. As it stands, he was supposed to play under the tag, which would have been grossly unfair to what he did in his rookie contract with the Panthers.
A rookie contract will last a lifetime. A second NFL contract establishes a generation. I want to congratulate him. And on a personal note, thank you for your time in Carolina.
