The Debatable crew wonders if bringing in Mitchell Trubisky to compete with Daniel Jones is a good move for the Giants. (0:54) The franchise tag was given to eight players this week, while two of the top presumed-free agents signed extensions. The free-agent class of the NFL is still loaded with talent and big names who could land huge-money deals. How will it end? Who will sign where and how much? We made fun of the fact that offers and deals might go down for six of the top players. Our NFL Nation reporters worked as GMs for their teams and made contract offers for key free agents while trying to stay within their salary-cap restrictions. The object was to accurately reflect how a team might approach negotiations. The Packers didn't throw around any offers, but the Dolphins andJaguars had money to spend. Once the offers were all in, national NFL reporter Dan Graziano played the role of player rep, considering the proposals and signing each of the players to a new deal. Who is going to a new team and who is going to his current team? Who made the big bucks? After a two-day negotiating window, the free agency of Allen Robinson II, J.C. Jackson, Terron Armstead, and Von Miller will begin on March 16. Here are some possible landing spots. Jump to:
Robinson | Jackson | Armstead
Miller | Mathieu | Jones The Bears are a free-agent rank of 8. The Colts offered three years of $50 million with incentives for games played and total reception. Jonathan Taylor is the best running back in the NFL and will make your life easier outside. One year, $11.5 million, with incentives of $1M for 1,000-plus receiving yards, $1M for making the Pro Bowl, $500,000 for reaching the postseason and $1M for reaching the Super Bowl, is what the Eagles offer. If the market does not shape up to your liking, you can pair up with DeVonta Smith for a year and wreak havoc. It worked for Alshon Jeffery. The offer is four years, $82 million with a guaranteed signing bonus and $5 million roster bonuses. In a state with no income tax, you can help turn the franchise around by playing with the best quarterback in your career. The Jets offered three years, $54 million. We are giving you the chance to be a wide receiver in the New York market, play for a developing team and grow with a young, talented quarterback in Zach Wilson. The Lions offered three years, $45 million. Would you like to return to your hometown of Detroit and be a receiver? I started laughing when my agent said theJaguars. Their offer is better than the others. I like that the team will get roster bonuses in 2023 and 2024 as a way of keeping the team honest, as it goes a lot further than $18 million per year in New Jersey. He looks like he could be something. Doug Pederson has a ring. Looks like I will be going back to where it all began. Did I overpay? Probably, but I got a player who has 40 career touchdown catches and has averaged 12.9 yards per catch on 509 catches from a less-than-underwhelming group of quarterbacks. We are talking about Chad Henne, Nick Foles, Mitchell Trubisky, Chase Daniel, Andy Dalton, and Justin Fields. He has played with a lot of quarterbacks, but Lawrence would be the best. Robinson isn't a burner, but he is a big, athletic receiver who can go up and get the ball. He would be a huge threat in the red zone because the Jags threw a league-low seven touchdown passes in that area. Lawrence has a significantly upgraded group of pass-catchers with the addition of Robinson, Marvin Jones Jr., Jamal Agnew, tight end Dan Arnold, running backs and James Robinson. The free-agent rank is 13 for the 2021, team. The offer is three years, $35 million. We have some cap space, but we want to build something, and we have a lot of needs. One of those is a player. Come to Cali! The offer is four years, $60 million. We know you might find a better deal elsewhere, but this is as far as we can go. It is possible that this is where your career began because few other teams believed in you like we did. Rob Ninkovich and Marcus Spears disagree about whether or not Bill Belichick will be the offensive play caller going forward. The Raiders offered four years, $72 million with incentives of $250,000 for six and $500,000 for 10 intercepts. Re- join GM Dave Ziegler and coach Josh McDaniels in state income tax-free Nevada, as they bring the "Patriot Way" to the Silver and Black. You can elevate your own brand in the new market by becoming the Raiders' best corner since Nnamdi Asomugha, while keeping this playoff club in contention in the best QB division in the league. The offer is four years, $70 million. Mike Tomlin is one of the league's most respected coaches and he values defense above all else. You would give the secondary another star along with Minkah Fitzpatrick. The Vikings offer is four years, $70 million. If you step in and be the No. 1 corner on the defense, you will be paid like one. I am going to knock two of these off right away. The Pats had their chance, and the Bolts aren't really in the ballpark here. The Vikings are out of it because Las Vegas and Pittsburgh are offering more guarantees. The offers are close for the Raiders and the Steelers. There is a great history of defense. The uniforms are great. It was a really tough choice. The income tax is real, and that's because the people running the show in Vegas are familiar with it. I might go back to the Steelers one more time to see if they are willing to top the Raiders offer. How he fits: Jackson would solidify a secondary that will have a different look under Patrick Graham, who left the Cover 3 style of defense. The Raiders have already cleared cap space by restructuring left tackle Kolton Miller and running back Kenyan Drake, and they could free up more money by releasing the likes of defensive end Carl Nassib and linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski. The Raiders could still target another CB in the draft, even though Jackson would be CB1, and Las Vegas hopes that Mullen will bounce back from his injury, which limited him to just five games. The Saints have a free-agent rank of 1. The Bears offered three years, $58 million, a $13 million signing bonus, and an escalator for 80% of offensive snaps. Come home, Terron. We know you are from the St. Louis side of Illinois, but we will give you the chance to join a team with a high ceiling and a potential franchise quarterback. That is where you come in. We need to lock down the left side of the O-line in order to build a competitive team with a new offense and fresh start for everyone. The preview guide has the top 100 ranking.
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Allen Robinson II, WR
The decision: Robinson picks the Jaguars
J.C. Jackson, CB
The decision: Jackson picks the Raiders
Terron Armstead, OT
The offer is three years, $55 million with a $1 million roster bonus on the fifth day of the league year. Come block for the quarterback.
The Dolphins offered four years, $92 million. Over the past few years, you saw what Mike McDaniel's schemes did for Trent Williams. With warm weather year-round, world-class facilities and no state income tax, imagine that.
The Saints offered two years, $40 million with incentives based on games started and void years attached from an original five-year offer. The Saints won't be the highest bidder because of cap constraints, but we still value our starting left tackle. If your market does not develop as expected, we offer a place you know and a good team.
The offer is three years, $64 million. The anchor of the new offensive line will be in the players-first locker room and will be in charge of laying a foundation for the next great quarterback.
The offer from Miami has everything I could have imagined. The others are blown away by it. It would be difficult to leave New Orleans, but the Dolphins just went over the top here, and I will sign this before they change their minds. Six-three million guaranteed, baby!
The Dolphins are prepared to give Armstead the money he wants, as long as it's guaranteed, to seal the deal. He would be the starting left tackle for Miami, paving the way for a return to right tackle for Liam Eichenberg. It is risky to make a free agent the highest-paid player on your team, but this offensive line needs an influx of talent. When healthy, Armstead is one of the best tackles in the NFL.
The Rams and Broncos are free-agent teams in 2021.
Two years, $30 million guaranteed and three void years attached from an original five-year, $90 million offer by the Cowboys. We want Miller to return to his hometown in the twilight of his career to be with his partner. You can be the leader of our defense.
The Rams offer is two years, $37 million, which includes $20 million guaranteed, 15 million fully guaranteed in 2022, and $1 million incentives each year for winning the Super Bowl. Let's go win two more.
Two years, $24 million guaranteed, plus $1 million in per-game roster bonuses each season, and 1.5 million incentives each season tied to playing time, sacks and the Pro Bowl, is what the Seattle Seahawks offered. We know this isn't as big of an offer as you may get from other teams, but the guarantees are strong, and it's an opportunity to remain on the West Coast, not too far from your home and young son in Denver.
Brady Henderson reports on the release of Bobby Wagner and what it means for the team.
The Dallas deal is five years and $90 million on paper, but it is actually two years and $30 million. It's better than what Seattle has to offer, especially with the silly structure they always insist on. I just won the Super Bowl with a different team, so do I take more money or less? Is it possible to win it with a third team? There is something about that star on the helmet.
With uncertainty surrounding Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence, Miller can be the perfect pass-rushing complement and mentor to the young star. This would be out of the Cowboys recent character in free agency, where they have been low-money shoppers, but Miller remains a top-end pass-rusher and would thrive in Dan Quinn's scheme.
The free-agent rank is 4.
The offer is two years, $29.5 million. You will cement your Hall of Fame credentials here because you will help us win another couple Super Bowls.
The Jets offered two years, $28 million, with one void year attached from an original three-year, $42 million offer. It is a chance to play in a defensive scheme that gives versatile safeties a chance to shine.
The Saints offered three years, $42 million and two void years from an original five-year offer. You can return to your hometown and play a key role on one of the top defenses.
This one was very difficult. All of the offers are very tempting for a variety of reasons. I don't know if I'm willing to spend time with a team that is far away from winning at this point in my career. Louisiana is tempting. I like playing in the Super Bowl and I think staying in Kansas City gives me the best chance to keep doing that for the foreseeable future.
The current roster of the Chiefs feels like a part of the Mount Rushmore, with most of them having been in Kansas City longer. The whole thing would not feel right without him. He would fill a variety of roles for the Chiefs because they could use him a lot. The team would have a good start to the summer by re-signing him.
Free-agent rank: 10.
The Broncos offer is two years, $34 million with a $500,000 workout bonus each year and incentives of 1.5 million for 11 sacks and 14 sacks each year. Jeff Legwold has two words for you, Chandler: Russell Wilson.
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Two years, $30 million guaranteed, with $1M in per-game roster bonuses each season, and $2M incentives each season tied to playing time, sacks and the Pro Bowl, is what the Seahawks offered. In an attacking defense, you will be the featured pass-rusher. We are still working on the quarterback situation.
The Bills offered $10 million for one year. We know you attended Syracuse, so how about playing in Buffalo? It might take some creative cap work, and this deal might not be competitive with other offers, but we want an experienced pass-rusher like you who will only add to the league's No. 1 defense and one of the NFL's best teams.
These are disappointing for a player with credentials. I might sit out a while and see if the landscape changes if these are the choices. I have made a lot of money, and I know my worth. I can wait for someone to come up. If this is the market, I will return to the Broncos and take the $24 million guaranteed, but I want the deal to void after one year so I can pocket my $24 million and hit the market again. Eight!
The Broncos have lived this life before and it worked out for them. Ware signed with the Broncos because of Manning, who was at quarterback. The Broncos need an edge presence like Jones and Chubb. Ejiro Evero, who just won a Super Bowl ring, has promised to pressure opposing quarterbacks as much as possible, so Jones will be set loose to earn every incentive in the deal.
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