The NFL’s annual musical chairs game has begun, with legal tampering starting a week ago and the official free agency period beginning last Wednesday. Some celebrities have already secured new residences and lucrative partnerships.
On Day 1, we saw former Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave accept a large contract with the San Francisco 49ers, making him the most expensive defensive free agent available. In other Niners news, Jimmy Garoppolo has agreed to join the Raiders, reuniting with Josh McDaniels.
On Day 2, the Raiders stayed busy and added another pass-catching weapon to their new quarterback, while the Browns strengthened their defensive line. The Eagles had a big day, re-signing James Bradberry and adding Rashaad Penny as the team’s starting running back.
The Buccaneers signed Tom Brady’s probable successor on Wednesday, while the Bills surprised everyone by re-signing one of their Pro Bowl defensive backs.
While free agency stalled on Thursday and Friday, the quarterback cupboard is running short. While the NFL awaits Lamar Jackson’s decision, Marcus Mariota, Gardner Minshew, and Cooper Rush are all out of the race. Adam Thielen signed with the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and the Steelers made another move to bolster their offensive line.
And there’s still a lot more to come.
Here are ratings for each agreement reached involving the top 100 free agents, as determined by CBS Sports senior NFL writer Pete Prisco and other significant players on the open market. We’ll start with quarterback grades, then move on to Sunday’s movements and the previous day’s activities.
The Philadelphia Eagles have signed Marcus Mariota
Philadelphia lost Minshew earlier Thursday against the Indianapolis Colts, but it only took a few hours for the Eagles to upgrade at backup quarterback. The Eagles signed Mariota to a one-year contract for up to $8 million, giving them a capable backup to Jalen Hurts.
Mariota’s skill set is tailor-made for Brian Johnson’s attack, and his mobility keeps opponents guessing. The Eagles spent a lot of money to get a quality upgrade at QB2.
Cooper Rush returns to the Cowboys
Rush had a fantastic season stepping in for Dak Prescott last season, so this trade makes perfect sense for the Cowboys. This was a no-brainer for Dallas, and Rush received a significant raise (despite being paid only $2.5 million per year).
Jimmy Garoppolo has arrived in Sin Vegas
The Raiders have found a replacement for Derek Carr, signing Jimmy Garoppolo to a rumoured three-year, $67.5 million contract with $34 million guaranteed. Of course, Garoppolo is acquainted with head coach Josh McDaniels, who worked as his offensive coordinator in New England. As a result, these two parties have become acquainted. Garoppolo is a marginal improvement over Carr, but the main concern is whether he can stay healthy.
If he succeeds, the Raiders might be in AFC playoff contention. Nonetheless, the short-term agreement does leave the door open for Las Vegas, which holds the No. 7 choice in the NFL Draft, to draft and groom a quarterback to replace Garoppolo, which is intriguing.
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