2024 NFL Free Agency: The Best and Worst Contracts Signed This Offseason

Brad Gagnon@@Brad_GagnonFeatured Columnist IVMarch 20, 20242024 NFL Free Agency: The Best and Worst Contracts Signed This Offseason0 of 8

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Peak NFL free agency has already come and gone.

Plenty of deals are still to be signed, and many of those will eventually become obviously great while others will emerge as terrible decisions.

Right now, though, let’s work without hindsight and review the best and worst deals so far in the 2024 NFL offseason.

Financial information courtesy of Spotrac

Best: Kansas City Chiefs Sign WR Marquise Brown1 of 8

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Terms: One year, $7 million

Marquise Brown’s career hasn’t taken off as many would have thought, but he did score 21 touchdowns in his first three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens before hitting some road blocks with inconsistent and/or limited support the last two years in Arizona.

It’s possible that the right setting will allow the 2019 first-round pick to excel in his prime at 26, and you can’t ask for a better spot than the Kansas City offense. Patrick Mahomes could work some serious magic with Brown’s deep speed.

On a cheap, incentive-laden, short-term deal, why not?

Worst: Las Vegas Raiders sign DT Christian Wilkins2 of 8

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Terms: Four years, $110 million with $82.75 million guaranteed

I’m not hating on Christian Wilkins. He’s a good player. Do I believe he’s a great player? Not yet, and it’s not as though he didn’t have plenty of opportunities to grow in Miami.

The five-year veteran has never been a first- or second-team All-Pro or a Pro Bowler, he’s never posted double-digit sacks, he’s registered five total takeaways in five seasons, and he’s never put up a double-digit approximate value rating at Pro Football Reference (typically the threshold for stardom, and a mark that more than 100 players reached in 2023).

Should Wilkins really be the fifth-highest-paid defensive player in the NFL? The market is what it is, but I believe the Raiders will regret this one.

The 28-year-old isn’t the type of player who can can make a mediocre team great, but he’s being paid that way.

Best: New Orleans Saints Sign Edge Chase Young3 of 8

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Terms: One year, $13 million

Like Marquise Brown, Chase Young is a still-young first-round pick who flashed early in his career but hasn’t been able to consistently deliver in recent seasons.

And like Brown, he’s been given a relatively cost-effective one-year shot to prove himself in a new environment.

That’s great, because the 24-year-old finally stayed healthy in 2023 and showed signs of returning to his former glory both in Washington and San Francisco. The problem was he didn’t get enough of an opportunity with the 49ers, but that should change in New Orleans.

And if it doesn’t pan out for Young at his third NFL stop, the Saints can move on without any long-term financial damage next offseason.

Good deal.

Worst: Arizona Cardinals Sign DT Justin Jones4 of 8

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Terms: Three years, $31.2 million with $26.8 million guaranteed

This is just one of those annual March deals that doesn’t make dollars and sense.

Justin Jones was solid the last two years in Chicago and has been a decent starter for much of his career, but why is a rebuilding Arizona team paying a soon-to-be 28-year-old this kind of green when he’ll likely never be a difference-maker?

Among 76 interior defenders who played at least 50 percent of their teams’ snaps in 2023, he ranked 67th with a Pro Football Focus grade of 49.3. That isn’t a be-all and end-all, but it does say a lot considering he’s also lacked splash plays throughout his six-year career to date.

This likely won’t end well for the Cards.

Best: Pittsburgh Steelers sign QB Russell Wilson5 of 8

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Terms: One year, $1.2 million

Why on earth not? Quarterbacks frequently perform well in their late-30s, and Russell Wilson is still only 35, so it’s entirely possible that two-year disaster in Denver was simply a blip and he’ll bounce back in Pittsburgh.

And even if none of that happens, he is playing practically for free in 2024.

Of course, Wilson’s still getting paid big bucks as a result of offsets from the Broncos. So this deal not only gives the Steelers a chance at low-cost glory with a future Hall of Fame quarterback, but it also continues to handcuff an AFC rival.

It’s beautiful, regardless of the outcome in Steel City.

Worst: Jacksonville Jaguars Sign WR Gabe Davis6 of 8

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Terms: Three years, $39 million with $24 million guaranteed

Gabe Davis has flashed at times and scored at least six touchdowns in each of his four NFL seasons, but he dropped nine passes in 2022 and his numbers broadly declined pretty much across the board in 2023.

There’s a good chance the 2020 fourth-round pick peaked with plenty of support in Buffalo, but the Jaguars have made him one of the 25 highest-paid receivers in the league.

With Calvin Ridley gone, that’s not how you bring Trevor Lawrence and that offense to the next level.

Best: Philadelphia Eagles Sign Edge Bryce Huff7 of 8

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Terms: Three years, $51.1 million with $34 million guaranteed

On the surface, one might wonder if the Eagles are falling into a one-year wonder trap after Bryce Huff put up more sacks in 2023 (10) than he did during his first three pro seasons combined (7.5).

However, the advanced stats and tape reveal that the 25-year-old was also a disruptive force with the New York Jets in 2022.

Huff doesn’t come cheap, but he remains just the 19th-highest-paid edge defender in the league, and Philadelphia’s commitment isn’t extremely long-term in nature.

For a team that is clearly all-in, this is a smart move.

Worst: Atlanta Falcons Sign WR Darnell Mooney8 of 8

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Terms: Three years, $39 million with $26 million guaranteed

Almost an identical deal to the one Davis signed in Jacksonville, except even more guaranteed money for a less proven player.

The Falcons probably won’t have to put a ton on Darnell Mooney’s shoulders, but that’s just another reason this is far too much money for a guy who has been held to fewer than 500 yards in each of the last two seasons while scoring just three touchdowns over the course of both campaigns.

Sure, he’ll have more support in Atlanta, but there’s a good chance we saw the 26-year-old at his best earlier in his career.