Free agency is one of the most fun parts of the NFL season, but teams are susceptible to making horrible mistakes; overpaying someone can be detrimental to building your roster for the next few years.
Of course, there are bargain deals every year as well.
There is nothing better for a team than paying a player less money than they are worth
So often you have to overvalue your stars if you want to keep them because if you do not then there is probably a team out there who will.
John Johnson: 3 years, $33.75 million
The Browns safety group was one of the worst position groups in the entire NFL last year so they went out and grabbed the best safety on the open market at a good price.
That is exactly how free agency should be approached.
John Johnson was the most underappreciated player on the Ram’s defense last year.
He is so versatile, he can play deep safety or come up into the box and make plays against the run.
An $11.25 million yearly average is a great deal for the Browns already but the best part of the contract for Cleveland is that $13 million is all that is guaranteed.
Even though I doubt they will want to release him, if they want to they will not have to eat much dead cap if they decide to let him go in the next couple of years.
Browns safeties earned the worst cumulative grade in the league last season at 48.2
John Johnson III: 85.3 PFF Grade in 2020 (3rd) pic.twitter.com/jFVHUn1lQ8
— PFF (@PFF) March 15, 2021
Juju Smith-Schuster: 1 Year, $8 million
It was rumored that Juju was going to receive a lucrative contract worth somewhere in the low teens per year.
Pittsburgh was able to convince him to stay for at least one more year for just $8 million.
Juju has received disrespect online because of his social media presence, but that disrespect distracts from his savvy ability to be a top-tier slot receiver.
He is one of the best receivers over the middle and is really physical in between the line, something that the Steelers have always valued.
Anthony Harris: 1 Year, $5 Million
Woah! Eagles sign former Vikings S Anthony Harris to a 1 year, 5 mil $ deal!
– 2018: #3 S, 3 INTs, 0 TDs, 24 passer rating allowed
– 2019: #1 S, 7 INTs, 0 TDs, 55 passer rating allowed
– Has familiarity with Gannon from MIN
– Low risk, very high rewardGreat deal.#Eagles pic.twitter.com/ZreuRD26Ol
— Thomas R. Petersen 🦅 (@thomasrp93) March 19, 2021
Anthony Harris is just one year removed from being a first-team all-pro safety, yet he got a tiny contract compared to what he would have signed last year if the Vikings did not franchise tag him last year.
The entire Vikings defense had a down year, most likely because they were missing Danielle Hunter, one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.
You can not have an elite year every year and considering he was elite in 2018 and 2019 I am not sure why the NFL seems to have given up on him after one below-average year.
While he did not have the same year in 2020 as he did in 2019 and 2018, he is still a really solid coverage safety and the Eagles need secondary help very badly.
I am surprised they were able to lure him for such a cheap price.
It makes me think that he is hoping to have a bounce-back year with Philadelphia and use this contract as a prove it deal.
Marvin Jones: 2 Years, $14.5 million
It got called incomplete, but Marvin Jones might've actually made the catch of the season 👀 @MarvinJonesJr @Jaguars pic.twitter.com/fNDEzPfOAz
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) March 17, 2021
Jones quietly had a very nice year; he recorded 76 catches, 978 yards, and 9 touchdowns.
His veteran presence will be greatly appreciated by Trevor Lawrence who will be inheriting a talented but young receiving corps down in Jacksonville.
He is a really well-rounded receiver; he has hands, route-running ability, and good speed.
He will make life much easier for their presumed young quarterback next year, and for a cheap price.
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