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So officially free agency in the NFL doesn't begin until 4 pm tomorrow, but rules aren't really meant to be followed in the NFL (unless you bet $1500 on parlay bets when you are officially on the non-injury exempt list; you can tell Ridley isn't a professional gambler since no one bets the parlays who has any sense, but I digress). While there are moves galore, there were 5 moves that just made my jaw drop a bit (6 if you consider one that didn't happen). While this gambling is considered somehow legal, even if it involves highway robbery, here are the 5, errrr 6 moves that made absolutely no sense to this old buck.
5. DT Larry Ogunjobi to the Chicago Bears
3 years for $40.5 million doesn't seem outrageous on the surface for a DT that got 7 sacks last year, but consider this....the Bengals sat him on the bench during critical downs last season in favor of BJ Hill. Ogunjobi has a major case of Gerald McCoy disease; he gets so busy making his move to get in the backfield to get the sack that he is a major liability in gap integrity and in the run game (enter here why the Bucs and their fans love Ndomukong Suh). Beware those DT's that get tons of sacks but only get 33 tackles; while sacks are good, $13.5 million a season is alot to pay for guys to run where you just were, unless your name is Aaron Donald.
4. OT Joseph Noteboom with the Los Angeles Rams
Noteboom actually had a decent season filling in for Whitworth last year; that said, before last year Noteboom was so unimpressive at OT a couple years back, he was moved to guard, where he also underwhelmed, and Whitworth still hasn't announced that he is retiring. 3 years at $40 million is alot for a guy that hasn't been a full-time starter yet in this league; that said, Noteboom did have a decent year by PFF standards, and the Rams could be getting a bargain if he keeps Stafford upright this coming season, but he better be playing T or the Rams are significantly overpaying.
3. ILB Foye Oluokun with the Jacksonville Jaguars
You will be seeing a trend as I finish up this list; now last article I mentioned how PFF doesn't do a superb job in evaluating linebackers, and you could say that Oluokun played better than the 46.5 PFF grade he got last year playing ILB for the Atlanta Falcons. All that said, Oluokun...the #78 ranked free agent per NFL.com...was given a 3 year deal for $45 million dollars, with $28 million guaranteed. Oh, and the Jaguars ended up cutting Myles Jack, who was slated to make $5 million dollars less. At best, the Jags made a slight upgrade and committed way more money for a player that is probably not in the top 10 at his position.
2. OG Brandon Scherff with the Jacksonville Jaguars
I think it may be easier to see why so many prospective coaches crossed Jacksonville off their list due to Trent Balke; let's us take a walk down OG lane, shall we....27 yo Alex Cappa...74.2 PFF rating....signed for an average of $10 million/year (mind you, that was too rich for the Bucs, who also lost Marpet to retirement earlier this month). OG/C James Daniels...71.0 PFF rating, 24 years old and making just shy of $9 million a year (and who can also play center). OG Brandon Scherff....73.6 PFF grade and 30 years old...3 years at $49.5 million??!! So, $16.5 million/year for a guy that is 3 years older than Cappa, 6 years older than Daniels, and has at best, plateau'd in his career. Oh, and $30 million guaranteed! Again, a decent player, but hardly an All-Pro.
1. WR Christian Kirk with the Jacksonville Jaguars
Yes Trent Balke, the FA trifecta. I totally understand that you probably have to pay guys more than the Bucs, Rams or Chiefs do. And Kirk did have his best season last year, and you could argue that, at 25, he is entering the prime of his career. But paying a slot receiver for 4 seasons at $72 million...$18 million/season....is insane. Look into the contract further though, and it becomes worse; the deal is back-loaded with a $7.5 cap hit this season, but carries a $21.5 million dollar hit each year after that. Why would the Jaguars, who are blessed with cap space if nothing else, backload a contract that will be almost impossible to get out of for at least 3 years? Better put Lawrence and Kirk in the same room during training camp; they need to bond quickly if this is to make any sense.
And my bonus observation....DE Randy Gregory and the Dallas Cowboys.
Now, I'm not sure at this point if this is the case of an ungrateful player who decided to snub the team that kept their faith in him through his roughest days, or if this is a case of Jerry Jones thinking he could add contract language that basically no agent could allow their client to sign, but definitely someone screwed the pooch here. DE Demarcus Lawrence signs for what could be a very club friendly deal to secure one side of the D-line and Randy Gregory had agreed to a 5 year/$70 million deal with only $28 million guaranteed...again, what most teams would consider club-friendly given his talent. But it appears that the Cowboys were trying to inject language that acted as a "behavior clause"; now I don't know if Gregory ever went back to the Cowboys after the Broncos offered the same deal without the language, but Dallas just lost out on having the best value at edge to go with the best MLB in football.
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