NFL Free Agency Day 1: Looking at the winners and losers

Modified Mar 14, 2023 20:55 GMT

Denver Broncos Introduce Sean Payton as Head Coach — NFL Free Agency Day 1: Looking at the winners and losers

The first day of 2023 NFL free agency is over, so we must start guessing who the winners and losers of the deals were. Signings and trades won't be finalized until the new league year starts on Wednesday. Many big-name players agreed to big contracts on Monday, changing teams across the NFL. There's more to come, especially with Aaron Rodgers and Lamar Jackson's futures still uncertain.

That said, let's look at the early winners and losers of free agency.

Winner: Denver Broncos

Sean Payton quickly improved one of the NFL's weakest offenses. Russell Wilson's future is unclear after his uneven Broncos debut, but he should now have a stronger line with the additions of right tackle Mike McGlinchey (5 years, $87.5 million). Left guard Ben Powers (4 years, $52M) and tight end Chris Manhertz (2 years, $6M) will also add value.

If Wilson struggles, adding ex-Raiders player Jarrett Stidham (2 years, $10M) gives Payton a relatively cheap but high-potential backup plan. They also kept Alex Singleton, re-signing the linebacker to a three-year, $18 million deal.

Winner: San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl LVII - Kansas City Chiefs v Philadelphia Eagles

The 49ers had a formidable defensive front that included Nick Bosa and tackle Arik Armstead, and now they've added Javon Hargrave. Hargrave's 11 sacks last season were a career-high and his 17% pass rush win rate at defensive tackle was the third-best in the league.

This performance was not a one-off, as he also ranked third in the metric in 2021 and sixth in 2020. The only potential downside is that Hargrave is now 30 years old, but his talent and experience should still make him a valuable addition to the 49ers' defense. Sam Darnold as a cheap veteran backup QB seems like a valuable pickup.

Overall, the 49ers must be judged as winners on the first day of free agency.

Winner: Washington Commanders

Los Angeles Chargers v Kansas City Chiefs

Until the QB situation is resolved, their overall success is uncertain. But they wisely didn't try to outbid the Raiders for another temporary QB in Jimmy Garoppolo. More importantly, they focused on improving both sides of the line.

After securing All-Pro defender Daron Payne, they got underrated offensive tackle Andrew Wylie from the Chiefs for almost top-10 right tackle money (3 years, $24M). They also added both good character and position flexibility by taking interior lineman Nick Gates (3 years, $16.5M) from rival Giants.

Loser: Atlanta Falcons

Their lineup has improved, but like the Jaguars in 2022, it's easy to see how they could have used their resources better. Bengals safety Jessie Bates III (4 years, $64M) is a big but expensive addition to a secondary that needs more playmakers. Keeping All-Pro guard Chris Lindstrom is smart, but his $105M extension will pay him $21M per year, more than any other inside O-lineman in the NFL.

Also, did they really need to trade for underperforming Patriots TE Jonnu Smith when Kyle Pitts is already on the team? Or spend $35M on Saints DT David Onyemata, a solid but not outstanding 30-year-old starter?

Loser: Minnesota Vikings

$13M for Marcus Davenport after his torrid 2022 play seems like an overpay. But at least it is a one-year commitment, paying top-20 money to Ravens tight end Josh Oliver. Oliver has just 26 career catches, which is a bit confusing considering they recently got former Lions star TJ Hockenson.

Adding to the cap casualties of Adam Thielen and Dalvin Tomlinson, this could be a down year after the 13-win 2022 season.