Early winners and losers of the 2022 NFL free agency

Story posted March 16, 2022 in CommRadio, Sports by Grant Sheets

When the clock strikes 4 p.m. on Wednesday, a surplus of NFL free agents will watch their pockets grow quite hefty. For the time being, players that have virtually agreed to terms are anxiously waiting to put pen on paper.

With the legal tampering period underway, teams are now able to speak with players and their representation to strike a deal on new contracts. With that being said, no deals are officially set in stone until Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Here’s a look at the winners and losers around the NFL from the first two days of free agency.

Winners

Joe Burrow

Following a Cinderella run to the Super Bowl that left quarterback Joe Burrow with an MCL sprain and no hardware, the Bengals are beefing up in the trenches.

Cincinnati agreed to terms with guards Ted Karras and Alex Kappa, two much-needed additions to an offensive line that struggled mightily in 2022. In doing so, not only are the Bengals looking out for the health of their star signal-caller, but they’re gearing up for another explosive offensive attack next season.

Brandon Staley

The Chargers’ 2021 season ended with a sour taste in the mouths of many, including head coach Brandon Staley.

In his first year with the Chargers, after spending time with the Rams as a defensive coordinator, Staley’s defense was a disastrous unit, allowing the fifth-most points in the NFL.

Fast forward to the first week of free agency, and the additions of Khalil Mack, J.C. Jackson, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson have revamped this unit from a sieve into an impenetrable force.

Now that he’s seemingly on the hot seat, Staley has been given a lot of tools to work with for a rebound year on the defensive side of the ball.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In just a week, the Buccaneers have transitioned from rebuild mode back into championship contention.

Following the end of Tom Brady’s brief retirement, Tampa Bay has brought back Ryan Jensen and Carlton Davis, and are in contract talks with Rob Gronkowski. The Bucs have acquired Shaq Mason and Russell Gage to bolster their offense.

For at least one more year, Brady and the Bucs will be a headache to opposing teams around the league on their mission to a second title in three years.

Losers

NFC East

With the Cowboys parting ways with key pieces like Amari Cooper, Connor Williams, Randy Gregory and Cedrick Wilson, a great opportunity for the rest of the division to gain ground on Dallas have opened up.

Instead, the Giants lost tight end Evan Engram and missed out on quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who opted to sign with the Steelers. The Commanders have lost a load of contributors to free agency, including J.D. McKissic, Tim Settle and Brandon Scherff.

Outside of the Eagles striking a deal with edge rusher Haasan Reddick, it’s been nothing but swings and misses so far this offseason for the NFC East.

Jacksonville Jaguars

While the Jaguars may have made the most headlines thus far in free agency, they’re certainly rolling the dice on their newest acquisitions.

Headlined by market-breaking deals for Christian Kirk and Brandon Scherff, Jacksonville has thrown a lot of money toward players who are either unproven or injury prone.

It’s still to be determined how this strategy works out for first-year general manager Trent Baalke and company, but spending lavishly in the early stages of free agency is not known to be a recipe for success.

Grant Sheets is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email gcs5231@psu.edu.