Two weeks into free agency, 24 of the top 25 players on Around The NFL's list have decided where they'll be next year (with Michael Crabtree being the lone exception):
1)Ndamukong Suh: Miami Dolphins (6 years, $114M, $60M guaranteed)
2)Darrelle Revis: New York Jets (5 years, $70M, $39M guaranteed)
3)Julius Thomas: Jacksonville Jaguars (5 years, $46M contract, $24M guaranteed)
4)DeMarco Murray: Philadelphia Eagles (5 years, $40M, $20M guaranteed)
5)Mike Iupati: Arizona Cardinals (5 years, $40M, $22.5M guaranteed)
6)Greg Hardy: Dallas Cowboys (1 year, worth up to $13.1M)
7)Percy Harvin: Buffalo Bills (1 year, $6M)
8)Byron Maxwell: Philadelphia Eagles (6 years, $63M, $25M guaranteed)
9)Torrey Smith: San Francisco 49ers (5 years, $40M, $22M guaranteed)
10)Jason Worilds: retired
11)Pernell McPhee: Chicago Bears (5 years, $39M, $15.5M guaranteed)
12)Jeremy Maclin: Kansas City Chiefs (5 years, $55M, $22.5M guaranteed)
13)Nick Fairley: St. Louis Rams (1 year, worth up to $7.5M guaranteed)
14)Bryan Bulaga: Green Bay Packers (5 years, $33.75M, $8M guaranteed)
15)Jared Odrick: Jacksonville Jaguars (5 years, $42.5M, $22.5M guaranteed)
16)Terrance Knighton: Washington Redskins (1 year, $4M guaranteed)
17)Rodney Hudson: Oakland Raiders (5 years, $44.5M, $20M guaranteed)
18)Derrick Morgan: Tennessee Titans (4 years, $27M, $10.5M guaranteed)
19)Brian Orakpo: Tennessee Titans (4 years, $32M, $13.5M guaranteed)
20)Michael Crabtree: free agent
21)Andre Johnson: Indianapolis Colts (3 years, $21M)
22)Ryan Mathews: Philadelphia Eagles (3 years, $11.5M, $7.5M guaranteed)
23)C.J. Spiller: New Orleans Saints (4 years, $18M, $9M guaranteed)
24)Charles Clay: Buffalo Bills (5 years, $38M, $20M guaranteed)
25)Jabaal Sheard: New England Patriots (2 years, $11M, $5.5M guaranteed)
Poring over that list, which signing do you think will provide the most bang for the buck?
Johnson does not quite have the top-end speed he once had, but he is a good route runner with separation quickness who plays strong and physical. That style can give CBs problems. Also, on the other side, he has
T.Y. Hilton, who has proven he can beat 1-on-1 coverage, thus forcing defenses to account for the youngster with a second defender.
When he's healthy, Harvin is the most versatile receiver, as well as the most dangerous run-after-catch player, in the league. He was a legitimate MVP candidate at midseason in 2012. The
Bills are getting him for just $2 million more than some punters are earning this year.
Murray is a better fit in Chip Kelly's offense than
LeSean McCoy. And the McCoy trade, which brought fantastic young linebacker
Kiko Alonso to Philadelphia, freed up the money for the
Eagles to sign Murray. Oh, and the move took away the rival
Cowboys' MVP.
Think about it: The
Packers got an ascending player who is just about to turn 26 -- and is a top-five player at his position (right tackle) -- for under $7 million per year. And he's locked up for five seasons at that rate. When you see what other players on the list are making -- guys like
Jeremy Maclin,
Byron Maxwell,
Mike Iupati, all of whom are older and not necessarily better (or
much better) -- you realize that Thompson's signing was a bargain.
Despite a relatively hefty salary for a specialty player ($6 million), Harvin's ability to deliver big plays and open up the field for teammates makes him well worth the cost for Rex Ryan's squad.