Contracts & Free Agency

The PlayerProfiler and RotoUnderworld maestro of opportunities, head game analyst, and NFL draft analyst Cody Carpentier is back with the 2022 NFL Draft Team Needs. Look for more Mock Drafts in the Dynasty Deluxe section under NFL Draft Index. Aside from NFL Mock Draft Data, you can find 2022 Rookie Mock Draft ADP (SuperFlex and 1QB) as well as Dynasty Mock Draft ADP (SuperFlex and 1QB), a Dynasty League Trade Finder App, Rankings, Trade Analyzer, and the Brand New Dynasty Dominator Reloaded.

Big free agents the Chargers can add in the $10-$20 million per year contract range include Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Brandon Scherff, Dont’a Hightower, Larry Ogunjobi, and Tyrann Mathieu. Maybe even Davante Adams ($20 million-plus). Tom Telesco has more than enough cap flexibility to add key free agents, even re-sign a player or two. The Chargers will have the money to make a star pair like Allen with Godwin or James with Mathieu.

Aaron Rodgers is not technically a free agent yet, but the speculation around his future continuers. The Denver Broncos are the most rumored team to land Rodgers and potentially free agent Davante Adams with him. There is also a chance the Packers will retain both, while the Steelers, Commanders, and even the Buccaneers could have a shot at Rodgers. Whichever team lands him would be a top-tier free agent destination and a candidate to be a big free agency winner.

Some teams face a massive struggle to become salary cap compliant while also entertaining hopes of being competitive in 2022. The Saints cap situation appears perilous to the outsider, and all the more concerning when one considers the weakness of the team heading into the new year.

You can’t pay everyone, that’s the truth of the salary cap system. But can the Buccaneers pay anyone and remain competitive next season? Even if Tom Brady goes back on his retirement and returns, how do the Bucs keep all his toys around for another season?

Doug Pederson makes a splash and gets his second-year QB a legitimate No. 1 WR to pair with third-year Laviska Shenault in the slot. As the former HC of the Eagles, Pederson knows from firsthand experience the impact Amari Cooper has on an offense. Releasing him is a bet on CeeDee Lamb’s ascension into the group of elite WRs. And a lesser bet on Dallas’ ability to scout rookie WRs.

At one point last offseason, I genuinely thought the Chiefs would roll the dice on WR Golden Tate. They missed out on JuJu Smith-Schuster, and the move made sense. Especially with Sammy Watkins walking. Here, they don’t make the same mistake twice, and add veteran slot WR Cole Beasley via free agency this time around. Wheels up for his fantasy football stock if this move actually happens.

It pays to be provocative — I get it. Deadlines demand stories and content must be created. People love drama. I accept that, and I accept that Russell Wilson stirred the pot; but should we continue the pressure campaign? I say no, Russell remains a Seahawk and plays in Seattle beyond his contract. If Russell says he wants to be in Seattle, and team leadership want Russ in Seattle, media should kill the story.

Drafting Kyle Pitts as the highest-selected tight end ever was too risky. How the Falcons could have traded Matt Ryan in the summer of 2021.

Lessons learned from the Tyler Boyd contract. Where should Michael Gallup go in free agency?

Just playing probabilities, Trey Lance is unlikely to surpass Mac Jones as an NFL QB.

Jalen Hurts has earned the benefit of the doubt.

Josh Allen joins Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott as QBs making over $40 million per year. Once QBs sign their big post-rookie contracts, the clock starts to tick for their teams. How long will Buffalo’s window for competing remain open? Can they win a Super Bowl before Allen’s cap hit skyrockets? Is his extension a team-friendly contract? How does this affect Lamar Jackson’s extension talks?

The Bills were a top AFC team last season and have improved in three consecutive years. I don’t see that changing in the next three. If it does change, it won’t be because Allen’s contract crippled the team’s salary cap. On the contrary, his extension allows Buffalo to extend their Super Bowl window all the way out to 2024 and keep or add key pieces.

Aaron Rodgers is gone after this season. The parallels between the Packers and the Michael Jordan Netflix documentary are obvious and referenced by involved parties. Allow your Salary Cap-tain to navigate you through the waves of contract and salary cap complexities. The first notable detail about Aaron Rodgers’ new contract is the 2023 void year. The next detail to note is Rodgers’ 2022 cap hit. Where is Rodgers going to play in 2022? How does the Rodgers saga affect Adams? Where do Cobb and the rookie WR fit in the 2021 plans?

New Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and the new front office have left the possibility of a Julio Jones departure by not restructuring his contract and converting unguaranteed money (base salary) into guaranteed money (prorated signing bonus). More guaranteed money means more dead cap on a player’s contract, making it harder to financially move on from them. The Falcons did not make that commitment to Jones.

Teams are allowed to designate up to two players as a post-June 1st cut, and the Eagles have already designated Alshon Jeffery and Malik Jackson. They’re projected to have $4.9 mil in cap space locked up on their top-51 players, eighth-lowest in the NFL. With a lack of cap space and a purge of aging, declining veterans already starting, the team will proceed with cutting Zach Ertz and saving almost $5 million in cap space.