By MATTHEW WOODS
Staff Writer
1. Suh Takes His Talents to South Beach
We all figured that Ndamukong Suh was going to get paid when he joined the list of players hitting the free agent market. Suh was the most coveted free agent available this season, and it wasn’t even close.
The defensive tackle signed a whopping six-year, $114 million deal with the Miami Dolphins, with $60 million guaranteed. It’s the largest contract ever by a defensive player; however, the deal does place the Dolphins in a bit of a bind after the first year, in which case his contract is quite likely to be restructured in the time being.
Is Suh deserving of this much money? Absolutely. Suh is a player who can change an organization; he’s something we haven’t seen, perhaps since the late great Reggie White.
He had another fantastic year as he racked up 53 tackles and 8.5 sacks despite being double-teamed nearly every play. Suh may be the most impactful player in the league on the defensive side of the ball, because he is always double-teamed.
This is a huge pickup for a team like Miami, which relies on their defense to keep them in games at times due to a lack of points scored by the offense. Suh will now be paired alongside pass rusher Cameron Wake, as they look to take their team to the next level.
2. DeMarco Murray: The Newest Eagle
In one of the most surprising signings this offseason, former Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray signed a deal to join the rival Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles signed Murray to a five-year, $42 million deal after Murray expressed his interest to head coach Chip Kelly in a phone call last Friday morning.
Murray, last season’s NFL leading rusher, left the Cowboys after the team failed to give him a contract offer that he desired. Dallas used their franchise tag on wide receiver Dez Bryant in hopes that they would have a better chance of signing Murray in the offseason.
After hearing of Murray’s departure, the Cowboys went out and picked up former Raider Darren McFadden to fill Murray’s place behind that vaunted offensive line of Dallas.
Murray will now be reunited with former roommate and quarterback at the University of Oklahoma Sam Bradford, who the Eagles picked up in a trade with the St. Louis Rams earlier in the week. Kelly is slowly putting together the team that he wants, and with the moves he has made thus far this offseason, we will see a very different Eagles team this coming season.
3. Revis Back in New York
Perhaps one of the most dominant corners in the game is back on the team he never wanted to leave. Darrelle Revis rejoined the Jets after signing a five-year, $70 million deal with the team this past week, with $39 million of the contract guaranteed.
Revis will help bolster a depleted secondary in new head coach Todd Bowles’ system, which thrives off of a steady pass rush and versatile corners.
As you may remember, Revis was part of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots last season and played some of his best football on the way to the team’s fourth ring.
Although he had a great relationship with head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, Revis never wanted to leave the Jets organization in the first place. He was traded to the Buccaneers during the 2013 offseason.
Revis will also be joined by another former Jet, as Antonio Cromartie will return to the Jets as well, to compliment Revis on the opposite side of the field. The Jets have had a stellar offseason so far, but can they get over their other big issue?
4. Giants Land Weapon Shane Vereen
The New York Giants landed a weapon of their own in free agency, as they signed former New England Patriots running back Shane Vereen. The acquisition of Vereen is one that will certainly give last season’s eighth-ranked Giants offense a bit of a boost.
Vereen signed a four-year, $16 million deal with the team and brings another weapon that offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo will look to utilize in the running game as well as in the passing game, where Vereen shined for the Patriots.
Vereen will immediately fill the void as the pass-catching running back who Manning can rely on when under pressure. His versatility, with the ability to catch the ball out of the back field, and his elusive speed is something McAdoo’s offense lacked last season. Adding another toy to this already steady offense just makes it harder for defenses to adjust, and may force them to use different types of coverage that may free up other receivers.
If there is anything to expect from this Giants offense with Vereen, it’s that they will be able to move the ball a bit better on offense and it solidifies the trio of backs who Manning and McAdoo can rely on in the back field.
5. Players to Keep Eye On
With the first week of NFL free agency in the books, it’s time to sort out the crop of guys who are left and to see which teams they would fit best.
The first player that comes to mind is former New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork. Wilfork has had teams expressing a lot of interest in him since his departure from the Patriots- including the Patriots.
The Super Bowl-winning defensive tackle has been in contact with a number of team other than the Patriots, including the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, and Houston Texans. It all comes down to whether or not Wilfork will try to play for another championship, or if he will take the most money he can get.
Another free agent who comes to mind is also a defensive tackle. B.J. Raji, formerly of the Packers, is looking for a new home as well. His market has quieted down a bit and may not pick up until Wilfork is off the market. Some notable teams interested in Raji include the Giants, Cardinals, Chargers, Falcons, and Raiders, but don’t be surprised if a team with a lot of salary cap space comes up and steals Raji from one of these teams.
Lastly, we go to the offensive side of the football, where tight end Jermaine Gresham is yet to find a new home. The former Cincinnati Bengal has already met with a number of teams, including the Oakland Raiders, who seem to be in hot pursuit of the free agent. Other teams to keep an eye on in the Gresham sweepstakes are the Bills, Saints, Falcons, and Texans.
So far, this year’s free agency period has been one of the best the NFL has seen in a long time.
