All week we’ve been counting down to the start of NFL Free Agency, which got underway this past Tuesday at 4 pm ET.
Teams wasted no time getting in on the action, with plenty of big splashes made within the first hours and days since.
Free agency is always an interesting time of year for NFL teams. There are battles to keep players, and the chance to teams to begin to fill holes with proven players without having to go into the draft. The salary cap is often the biggest issue brought up, because teams and players attempt to restructure deals before deadlines.
The prime example here comes in the case of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and defensive back Darrelle Revis. Last season, Revis was traded to the Bucs and was given a $96 million deal that paid him $16 million each season. Essentially, it was a contract for $1 million a game.
A year later, Revis was released by Tampa Bay with a new regime in place anchored by head coach Lovie Smith. It came down to the simple fact that Revis was too expensive to keep, despite being the best cornerback in the league.
Now, it’s been reported that the New England Patriots have inked a one-year $12 million deal with Revis. This would turn an already Super Bowl contender into potentially the AFC favorite in front of Denver. In fact, the Patriots might even be the favorite heading into the season as long as Revis stays healthy.
At 28, Revis is in the prime of his career. He was the highest paid cornerback by $6 million last season. This deal will pay him $4 million less than he earned in Tampa, but he gets the chance to play or Bill Belichick and a team that is ready to contend for a championship today.
Revis has not been the only talk around the league though.
In fact, staying with the Bucs, they brought in Cincinnati defensive end Charles Johnson, as well as Chicago quarterback Josh McCown. It’s reported that McCown will be the starter of Mike Glennon.
It’s clear that Lovie Smith is bringing in players that fit his script for building a successful defense from front to back, and having a quarterback that won’t lose games.
Keeping in the NFC South, the Carolina Panthers will reportedly release Steve Smith,giving him the chance to play somewhere else.
The teams with the most cap money include Cleveland and Oakland, though at this point neither have made significant moves.