2024 NFL Free Agent Contract Grades

Jonah Williams, LT, Cardinals

2 years, $30,000,000, $21,500,000 total guarantees ($19,000,000 full)

I am not sure if the Cardinals did much good this offseason other than filling up spots, but this is one of the better signings of free agency. Williams showed life last year and has potential to be a quality starting tackle for the team. At just $15 million a year he will rank 11th in annual value while ranking 13th in guarantees. The two year term is not great but given the question marks he has I think fair. I think a straight salary split between year 1 and year 2 would have benefitted the team but that is splitting hairs.

Grade: A-

Darnell Savage Jr., S, Jaguars

3 years, $21,750,000, $12,500,000 total guarantees ($12,500,000 full)

I guess the Jaguars see something here that the Packers did not. Savage at $7 million a year has the "he was drafted in the first round" bump feel and I am not sure if that is warranted on a three year deal where you are going to guarantee $12.5 million at signing. It does slot right in with the other contracts this size so in that respect the contract is fine, but Savage feels like someone who should have been on a prove it deal versus one with more security.

Grade: C

Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Titans

3 years, $36,000,000, $22,980,000 total guarantees ($19,000,000 full)

I think the Titans could have gotten this down a little bit, but they have been pretty aggressive this offseason and it was not a great year for corners. I would have liked to have seen the Titans flips the full versus vesting guarantee in year two especially since he was willing to basically take a contract a few years back with the Bengals that only guaranteed the signing bonus.

Grade: C

Leonard Williams, IDL, Seahawks

3 years, $64,500,000, $43,850,000 total guarantees ($26,150,000 full)

When we talk contract hall of fame we sometimes overlook players who are simply good but not great players, but Williams belongs in the conversation of really using timing and trades to his advantage. In his 9 year career Williams was selected one time as a Pro Bowl alternate and never had any kind of peak playoff run or anything like that to draw attention as a free agent yet he just signed his second contract that averaged over $20 million a year. Even with the rise in salaries Williams continues to track one level down on the salary scale but again exceeds it in salary. The clear comp here was Javon Hargrave but one teams mistake should not be your model to beat.

Grade: D+

Bryce Huff, EDGE, Eagles

3 years, $51,100,000, $34,000,000 total guarantees ($34,000,000 full)

This contract came in right around where I would have expected. Huff is a high risk, high reward signing. He has no track record of being able to play enough to justify the salary but if he can play similar to how he has in more snaps this becomes a bargain. For the most part this mimics the contract that the Eagles did with Haason Reddick updated for cap growth over the last few years. As with any Eagles contract you either love or hate the structure but those are pretty much all baked in at this point. Cash flows are steady here and they did not go overboard in finding a way to get this contract done.

Grade: B

Michael Pittman, Jr., WR, Colts

3 years, $70,000,000, $46,000,000 total guarantees ($41,000,000 full)

A perfectly good job by the Colts with Pittman, not going overboard on the structure and basically using the franchise tag to help them with the negotiation. Somehow the Colts got Pittman to take less money through 2025 than he would have gotten on two franchise tags which is odd for a franchise player at this position. Had he played out this year and been allowed to be a free agent he would have had to earn about $24 million next year as a free agent. Ridley just got $25M and a few years ago Christian Kirk was at $22.5M in year one salary. The Colts don't get the long term contract but I dont think that's a big deal because a few years from now they will either be winning with a young QB about to get an extension or in a fire sale where Pittman wont be in the plans.

Grade: A-

Calvin Ridley, WR, Titans

4 years, $92,000,000, $50,000,000 total guarantees ($46,980,000 full)

I have no idea what the Titans saw here. Ridley is nearing 30 and has had one special season in his career and that was back in 2020. Outside of that year I don't believe he has ever been viewed as a top tier number 1.This felt as if someone around the team just did not want to hear about AJ Brown anymore and the team was just directed to get the best receiver left at any cost. This whole scenario was very reminiscent of the Kenny Golladay signing by the Giants where the general WR free agent market was a dud for the players and then out of nowhere a team got convinced to do a mega deal. Ridley will earn more money over three seasons than Brown did on his contract in Philadelphia. There will be no margin for error here. Ridley has to be a star.

Grade: F

Mitch Morse, C, Jaguars

2 years, $10,500,000, $7,000,000 total guarantees ($7,000,000 full)

I love this contract for the Jaguars. Morse is a solid, reliable center and $5.25 million per year is a nice price. There is limited worry in pushing out $2.4 million to a void year in 2026 as getting him on a $2.6 million cap hit in 2024 is the important thing. Even with $7 million of the total guaranteed there is wiggle room to drop down next year if Morse does not play well for some reason.

Grade: A

Xavier McKinney, S, Packers

4 years, $67,000,000, $23,000,000 total guarantees ($23,000,000 full)

McKinney is a pretty underrated player and comes off a great season. Him becoming the highest paid safety of the free agency period is not surprising but I think its a fair question to ask if the Packers misread the market. McKinney currently is earning about $9 million a year more than the next highest paid free agent safety and that is a giant gap. Judged as a contract on its own this is ok as its just a hair higher than Jessie Bates contract from last season. I think getting more per game bonuses in here would have been smart and they probably jumped too fast but sometimes thats what you need to do to get a guy you have targeted.

Grade: C+

Kirk Cousins, QB, Falcons

4 years, $180,000,000, $100,000,000 total guarantees ($90,000,000 full)

I really did not think Cousins would leave Minnesota nor did I think there would be a team this aggressive with him coming off an achilles injury. $100 million in effective guarantees at the age of 36 is a really big number when you consider that Cousins has never been at the MVP level in his career. The Falcons did a good enough job in splitting the cap this year between prorated charges and his base salary but the numbers get real big later on and you just cant be in a situation where you are going to restructure a 38 year old players contract for cap relief. They run the risk here of having bought back into the end of career version of Matt Ryan.

Grade: C-

Gardner Minshew, QB, Raiders

2 years, $25,000,000, $15,000,000 total guarantees ($15,000,000 full)

I think this is a fine stopgap kind of player for the Raiders as long as they keep trying to find a way to draft a quarterback. Minshew will be more up and down than Garoppolo, but he's healthier and carries more upside and comes in way cheaper than what they wasted on Garoppolo last year. It does not sound as if there is any extra money that can be earned on the contract so as long as he is starting, $12.5 million is fine. If for any reason they really are going to have a competition then this is a terrible contract, but I think this job is his.

Grade: C+

Frankie Luvu, EDGE, Commanders

3 years, $31,000,000, $19,125,000 total guarantees ($14,625,000 full)

Luvu is a good player and I think this contract falls right in line with a fair market for him. Players like Luve are a good value when you see some of the salaries of some of the pass rushers in the NFL. The cash flows here are more favorable to Washington than the deal they did for Armstrong. Luvu did not receive a full guarantee on the year two salary and has to be on the roster April 1 to earn a partial salary guarantee. This is all good for the Commanders.

Grade: B

Jordan Hicks, LB, Browns

2 years, $8,000,000, $4,500,000 total guarantees ($4,500,000 full)

This is a good low cost grab for the Browns. Too many teams spend too much at this position. This falls in the low end of the starter scale and the Browns even got a better than expected guarantee, in my opinion. Hicks did miss four games last season and per game bonuses would have been a nice add that they did not have in here.

Grade: B+

Danielle Hunter, EDGE, Texans

2 years, $49,000,000, $48,000,000 total guarantees ($48,000,000 full)

This one caught me off guard as I did not expect Hunter to fetch a contract that would pay him this much at the age of 30. Two year, $49 million with $48 million guaranteed is a massive number. Von Miller a few years ago earned $35M over two years and and had a similar guarantee but over a much longer term. Even inflated for the cap you wont get to two year numbers like this. I don't mind Houston not getting into a long term contract but they should have at least gotten a third year if they were going to guarantee this much. I did find it funny that they kept all of $1 million in per game bonuses from being guaranteed to I guess avoid saying they did a fully guaranteed multi year contract. I am sure he will help the defense but this contract was a big win for Hunter.

Grade: D

Michael Onwenu, RT, Patriots

3 years, $57,000,000, $36,500,000 total guarantees ($36,500,000 full)

A real solid contract for the Patriots. Going into free agency I would have expected Onwenu to be the top available offensive lineman, but New England did not seem to get caught up in the exploding salaries and signed him to almost the identical contract as Tytus Howard of the Texans which is right in line with the old market. While getting a four year contract would have been better for the Patriots I would take this over some of the other longer term deals we saw at guard and tackle.

Grade: B+

Jonah Jackson, LG, Rams

3 years, $51,000,000, $34,000,000 total guarantees ($25,500,000 full)

Not a fan of this signing. Im not a big fan of having two high priced guards at the same time and I'm not really sure what the Rams or the rest of the NFL saw here. Jackson has missed 9 games in the last two years and the performance has not been up to the level of a top player. His three year value is 4th in the NFL for guards so in reality his APY ranks higher than some of the other players. No per game bonuses and a early hefty roster bonus in the 3rd year to force an early decision on roster status.

Grade: D

Patrick Queen, LB, Steelers

3 years, $41,000,000, $20,510,000 total guarantees ($13,840,000 full)

Pittsburgh did a good job of not rushing into a contract with Queen, who was the top available linebacker. By no means did Queen set the market ablaze and he did not even top the contract signed by Foyesade Oluokun two years ago. 1st year cash ranks below Bobby Okereke who signed for over $3 million a year less. The cap structure could be a little regrettable with the bloated hits in 25 an 26 but the signing bonus is low enough to where they can drop him whenever they want.

Grade: A

Baker Mayfield, QB, Buccaneers

3 years, $100,000,000, $50,000,000 total guarantees ($40,000,000 full)

While I think the average per year on this is a little on the high end at $33.33 million, the Bucs did a pretty good job of not acknowledging Daniel Jones' contract as anything and basically built off Geno Smith's contract and upped the value for Mayfield being a younger player. While I would have preferred to see the type of escalator structure that the Seahawks used with Smith, the Bucs did craft a contract similar to Seattle that gives them options in year 2. Mayfield has never been consistent and if he does falter they can probably get him down to a $10 million salary in 2025 with an opportunity to compete for a job. If he does play well then they have a nice bargain for two years.

Grade: B

D'Andre Swift, RB, Bears

3 years, $24,000,000, $15,300,000 total guarantees ($14,000,000 full)

I did not expect Swift to be the first running back off the board nor did I expect the Bears to be the team that signed him. Given that Chicago made Swift a priority signing the contracts signed by James Conner and Miles Sanders, who topped the recent free agent market, become relevant and this is in line with those two deals. Does that make for a good decision? Probably not. This is a bet that Swift doesnt have that much mileage on him and that he can provide some help for an at times stagnant offense.

Grade: C-

Jeff Okudah, CB, Texans

1 year, $4,750,000, $2,500,000 total guarantees ($2,500,000 full)

Okudah gets what may be his last "bet on draft status" type of contract if things do not improve for the former top pick of the Lions. Okudah has probably never given this level of value in his career but it is probably a fair figure to give him a shot. Maybe a slight overpayment but on these one year contracts teams often dont get too bogged down. He does have a reachable incentive but if he plays enough to earn it the Texans should be happy.

Grade: C

Antonio Gibson, RB, Patriots

3 years, $11,250,000, $5,300,000 total guarantees ($5,300,000 full)

It has been two seasons since Antonio Gibson looked like a difference maker and the Patriots are going to hope that he can recapture what he was when the Commanders featured him more in their offense. This offer kind of splits the market between Jamaal Williams and Samaje Perine when it comes to guarantees which is fair since his last two years do slot between the two. Given the cap room the team has it is ok to take a shot like this even though the odds are probably against it.

Grade: C+

Robert Hunt, RG, Panthers

5 years, $100,000,000, $63,000,000 total guarantees ($44,000,000 full)

This was a huge one that I dont think anyone saw coming until the Rams and Kevin Dotson agreed to their big contract extension. The numbers pretty much run right in between the Nelson and Lindstrom contracts. The negative here is the structure is a pure lock in. They probably did not have a choice since their salary cap situation is still not great and they had a ton of needs. I think this is a deal they would best off not restructuring despite the large cap hits in 25 and 26 unless he is great in 2024.

Grade: C

Christian Wilkins, IDL, Raiders

4 years, $110,000,000, $82,750,000 total guarantees ($57,500,000 full)

A massive contract that took a contract that blew away the market just a few days before and basically added $5 million to the numbers. Wilkins is now the 3rd highest paid defensive tackle in NFL history and I dont think anyone would rank him near the 3rd best defensive tackle in the game. He is also older than the other players who are the second contract tier of players.I get that the Raiders felt they needed someone to free up Crosby, but there are other options out there that make more sense if we are getting into record setting money. First three years are guaranteed and I think the team needs to make sure to avoid the pitfall of restructuring him down. This comes across as a massive win for his agents.

Grade: D

Dorance Armstrong Jr., EDGE, Commanders

3 years, $33,000,000, $22,125,000 total guarantees ($16,125,000 full)

Armstrong at $11 million a year is probably $3 million too high, but he is familiar with the system and Washington has cap space to blow. I did not care for the structure on this contract at all. He will earn more than half of the contract in the first year which is a crazy structure. The team had tons of cap room yet structured the deal to defer so much cap to the future. They did get an April 1st vesting date on his 2025 guarantee but the benefit of that is far less when you consider he will have earned half his contract by the time he gets to the 2025 season.

Grade: C-

Geno Stone, S, Bengals

2 years, $14,000,000, $6,000,000 total guarantees ($6,000,000 full)

I think they is a terrific signing by the Bengals. Stone is on the younger side and really had a breakout season in Baltimore last year. While there are questions as to whether or not he can sustain it the Bengals are only in for $7.5 million for this season and can walk away with just $1.5 million on the cap in 2024 if he reverts back to being more of a special teams guy.

Grade: A

Josh Jacobs, RB, Packers

4 years, $48,000,000, $12,500,000 total guarantees ($12,500,000 full)

I think Green Bay simply decided to throw back the clock and look for who reminded them most of Aaron Jones and they came up with Jacobs and basically offered him Jones' old contract. This is just too much to pay for a running back, especially a free agent who you have no experience with. Jacobs has had a big load with the Raiders and is coming off a career worst year. The benefit I guess for Green Bay is because they dont guarantee salary they can always try for a pay cut next year if he does not play well, but I think Jacobs side saw that potential and got the Packers to put most of his 2025 salary in a March bonus to force a quick call from Green Bay.

Grade: C-

Gabriel Davis, WR, Jaguars

3 years, $39,000,000, $24,000,000 total guarantees ($24,000,000 full)

This contract runs somewhat in line with the Allen Lazard contract signed in 2023 with slightly higher numbers. Davis offers a unique skillset but my concern with him is if he could not explode with Josh Allen is there any reason to think he will with another QB? It is a pretty substantial investment for two years and the structure is either going to lead to a massive chunk of dead money two years from now or an extension. I figured Davis would get a one year deal especially since WRs seem to be struggling a bit in free agency. Not terrible but Im not sure it is good either.

Grade: C

Sean Murphy-Bunting, CB, Cardinals

3 years, $25,500,000, $17,390,000 total guarantees ($14,195,000 full)

I guess this was a sign of how bad the options were for corners this year. Murphy-Bunting went to the Titans last year for 1 year and $3.5 million, and I am not exactly sure what he did to go from that type of contract in free agency to a contract with nearly $18 million in guarantees. They are betting on the athleticism I guess but I have no idea who they were bidding against at this price. At the least they should have had a higher number set aside for per game money as he hasnt finished a full season since 2020.

Grade: D

Azeez Al-Shaair, LB, Texans

3 years, $34,000,000, $21,500,000 total guarantees ($21,500,000 full)

This is a good example of a one year contract really paying off for a player as Az-Shaair jumps from the $5M contract last year to earning a contract worth just over $11 million. The coach is familiar with him from San Francisco so the transition should not be that difficult. Now is it ever smart to pay up at linebacker when there are so many other options? Probably not but the Texans did not go insane here and ended up with a lower first year payment than many similar range contracts.

Grade: B

Austin Ekeler, RB, Commanders

2 years, $8,430,000, $4,210,000 total guarantees ($4,210,000 full)

I don't know if Ekeler has anything left in the tank but it is just a one year investment with an option for a cheap 2nd year if he happens to do well. $510,000 of his 2024 compensation is tied to being active which is good for Washington. Id probably rather gamble on Ekeler at this price than some of the others with a $3M guarantee.

Grade: B-

Justin Jones, IDL, Cardinals

3 years, $30,165,000, $19,750,000 total guarantees ($17,750,000 full)

I thought this was a big leap of faith on Jones, who was a solid enough player at $6 million a year but this seems like too much of a jump up especially since the team guaranteed most of the second year of the contract at signing. They probably could have put a little more of the cap room in the first year of the contract but I can understand holding off a little since it was an early free agent signing.

Grade: C-

Brandon Jones, S, Broncos

3 years, $20,000,000, $11,000,000 total guarantees ($11,000,000 full)

This contract is perfectly acceptable for a starter in the NFL but they may be making a leap of faith that Jones can play that role again. Jones did not reclaim that role off injury last year and that was on a pretty bad defense. If he does wind up in that starter mode this will be good and if he doesn't fans will be wondering why he has an $8M cap charge in 2025.

Grade: C

Brian Burns, EDGE, Giants

5 years, $141,000,000, $87,500,000 total guarantees ($76,000,000 full)

These numbers come in right around what I expected for Burns this year making him the 2nd highest paid EDGE rusher in the NFL. While the DT market clearly grew from the increase in cap this to me falls in line with the market that existed. Is Burns really a top tier rusher? I'm not sure about that but his profile fits the bill of someone who was going to get paid. I like the structure the team used with the steady cap charges, at least for now (the Giants have done changes in the past when they overdo their cap spending), and that should prevent the contract from getting away from them. If he plays well this defensive line is going to be among the best in the league.

Grade: B

Nick Allegretti, LG, Commanders

3 years, $16,000,000, $9,020,000 total guarantees ($9,020,000 full)

This signing came completely out of left field. Allegretti has started just 13 games in five years and as a free agent last season wound up returning to KC on a one year, $2.6 million qualifying contract. He's a former 7th round pick who has barely seen the field in the last three years. How that winds up with $9 million guaranteed is a mystery.

Grade: F

Grover Stewart, IDL, Colts

3 years, $39,000,000, $25,730,000 total guarantees ($17,990,000 full)

This is one of those contracts where my main thought is if you thought this was the price tag why not just extend him last year? Stewart is going to be on the wrong side of 30 and missed 6 games last season for a violation. Solid player, but many teams in the past learned their lesson that usually going year to year with the older linemen makes sense. Maybe it is a leaguewide thing and there is not enough young talent but this just feels like history is going to repeat itself and well see a change in a year or two.

Grade: C-

Jon Runyan, Jr., LG, Giants

3 years, $30,000,000, $17,000,000 total guarantees ($17,000,000 full)

I think this was a good pickup by the Giants who desperately need o-line help, but they may have gotten a little scared at the big contracts coming down and jumped the gun too soon. I think the right place for him is a few million a year less than this. Now they do have some wiggle room in 2025 to renegotiate if he struggles which works in their favor and by not going into the four year contract territory they have a deal they can get out of early enough if need be. I just feel he would have been available in the next tier of free agents.

Grade: C+

Chris Jones, IDL, Chiefs

5 years, $158,750,000, $95,000,000 total guarantees ($60,000,000 full)

I don't know if the Chiefs put much thought into this one. Essentially they just took Aaron Donald's contract, added significantly more guarantees, and changed Donald's name to Chris Jones. Three years essentially fully guaranteed for a player who will be 30 is unheard of for a non-quarterback. Salary cap structure follows an all in for 2024 pattern and then huge jumps the next two years. Chiefs didn't even get meaningful workout bonuses in here. No idea why this was not done last season if this is the outcome. This feels different than what KC has done in the past and most of the return on this is probably coming in just the first season.

Grade: D

P.J. Locke, S, Broncos

2 years, $7,000,000, $3,245,000 total guarantees ($3,245,000 full)

This is fine for a team that is salary cap strapped looking for cheap help in the secondary. Rapp's numbers coming in where they did probably helped push this along. When healthy Locke played nearly 70% of the snaps for Denver last season and earned a raise over the prior year. At worst it is a one year contract for $3.5M and does not impair their ability to sign a free agent if one of the many safeties sees their market implode and has to take a cheap one year contract.

Grade: C+

Andre James, C, Raiders

3 years, $24,000,000, $15,660,000 total guarantees ($13,000,000 full)

This feels like a contract that the Raiders could have held off a day or two on and seen where the market went. I think Morse at $5M is much better value than James at $8 million and James will earn nearly Morse's entire two year contract value in the first year alone. Still they avoided the pitfalls of going into the upper echelon of money, but there were probably better bargains available to them.

Grade: C

Hunter Henry, TE, Patriots

3 years, $27,000,000, $15,800,000 total guarantees ($15,800,000 full)

This feels like the Patriots simply decided to do Henry a favor rather because they have a huge amount of cap space and low payroll for the year. I don't really know why you want a 30 year old tight end on a team that should be rebuilding and I certainly do not know why you would be making a two year commitment at just about $16 million guaranteed. This feels like end of career Jimmy Graham contract logic. They did get big per game bonuses in the contract which is a plus for New England but this is a contract they should have passed on in my opinion.

Grade: D

Jaylon Johnson, CB, Bears

4 years, $76,000,000, $54,000,000 total guarantees ($43,800,000 full)

I wrote about this contract in the main area on the site and the more I got to look at the numbers and structure the more I like this contract for the Bears. In some ways this contract bridges a gap between $17M per year players and $20M per year players but Johnson really did not wind up getting anything that significant as a concession from Chicago. There were a series of contracts that traded APY for cash flows but Johnson didnt get that massive up front payment here, though the cash is solid. Johnson got a real aggressive guarantee package but the main part that sets it apart from the others is the injury guarantee and Chicago got a late vesting date on it.Where Johnson benefits is if he gets to the 3rd year it is a solid figure at $60M and if he gets to the end of the contract, which is rare for a corner, he is better positioned than others at the position to cash in again. Chicago can walk away after two seasons with the way they structured the contract and the structure makes good use of the Bears salary cap surplus.

Grade: B+

Kevin Dotson, RG, Rams

3 years, $48,000,000, $32,000,000 total guarantees ($24,000,000 full)

This is a home run for Dotson who just a few months ago was basically traded for a bag of chips from the Steelers. Dotson started 14 games for the Rams and played well enough, but $16M a year 6th at the position. Perhaps that will not look as high after free agency is complete but that is a very big number for me to digest. The guarantee on the contract is solid at $24M full/$32M injury, but that is on the lower end for this annual value.At this price the Rams should have gotten a fourth year to add more value if he keeps playing well. The three year contracts are usually for guards sub $10M a year or over 30 and Dotson is neither. This feels like a contract that is based a bit too much on the good vibes of going 7-1 down the stretch.

Grade: D+

Dalton Schultz, TE, Texans

3 years, $36,000,000, $23,500,000 total guarantees ($23,500,000 full)

I did not expect Schultz to receive this kind of contract in free agency. Last year was such a dud for tight ends and while Schultz was a more important part of the Texans offense than he was the Cowboys offense there was not that much difference overall that would have made me think that he would get into this salary range.That is not to say the number is wild. It tracks with Cole Kmet, though Kmet is younger, and the Texans may have pegged him to Evan Engram who signed in Jacksonville in a similar situation following a prove it kind of year with a young QB. The guarantee package is nearly identical between the two.

Grade: C

Chukwuma Okorafor, RT, Patriots

1 year, $4,000,000, $3,125,000 total guarantees ($3,125,000 full)

I really like this signing for the Patriots. Okorafor is a steady player on the line and there is little downside risk here. Base value is $4M with $680K tied to being active and with all the cap room they have eating a $2M signing bonus (his base would get offset) is nothing. There is upside to slightly over $8M which is right in line with the market for a starter.

Grade: B+

Taylor Rapp, S, Bills

3 years, $10,625,000, $4,850,000 total guarantees ($3,675,000 full)

Rapp had no market last year and in such a crowded field I am not sure he would have had one this year, but Buffalo is not really in a position to spend on those players anyway and if they are convinced Rapp can be a starter for them this is a pretty good contract. Essentially this is a $4M risk but with the upside of getting a starting safety for three years rather than just doing the one year deal. You don't need to do much to justify a $3.5M per year contract if you start.

Grade: C+

Drue Tranquill, LB, Chiefs

3 years, $19,000,000, $12,500,000 total guarantees ($12,500,000 full)

This is a nice contract for Tranquill who failed to break through as a free agent last season. In essence this works out as a "try before you buy" kind of situation for Kansas City and after the one year they felt comfortable going into the $6M per year range that a ton of linebackers sit at. How you value this probably depends on what impact you think the cap increase has on the market. IMO the impact is usually felt in this salary range more than at the top, but if you do not think that you probably see this as a bigger overpay.Tranquill's contract lines up with TJ Edwards' contract with the Bears and is stronger on guarantees but not up front cash. I think almost everyone would have had Edwards as the better player. The bump in guarantees is a big jump from the Anzalone, Williams, and Singleton contracts ($9M) that were signed last year.

Grade: C

Nnamdi Madubuike, IDL, Ravens

4 years, $98,000,000, $75,500,000 total guarantees ($48,500,000 full)

I have a pretty comprehensive breakdown of this contract up on OTC and it is a great contract for Madubuike. The Ravens made him the highest paid interior defender in the NFL not named Donald and this was a jump that a few other players could not make last year seemingly only because of where they were drafted, which was late in the first round. To blast through the way he did as a 3rd round pick is impressive.Everything about this contract was a major win on the player side. Cash flows through year 2 and 3 just rip past the existing market. He gets three years effectively guaranteed. The fourth year brings the APY down closer to the market and that is the year he'll be looking to renegotiate into another extension. The contract feels like the Ravens were worried that a Christian Wilkins contract signing might have made this even more expensive. I guess we will have to wait and see if that is the case.

Grade: C-

Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers

2 years, $41,000,000, $35,000,000 total guarantees ($29,000,000 full)

The numbers and reports have been all over the place on Evans contract, but it seems as if the $41 million base value is the legit number which is on the lower end of what I would have expected for Evans. While some may say this is a hometown discount there are incentives that are reachable if Evans continue his 1,000 yard streak that do increase the value so really this plays out more as a "well only pay you top market money if you have another top season".The Bucs left themselves more than enough wiggle room if things go south to renegotiate his salary down in 2025. This is also far less than he would have gotten had he been tagged. The only negative for them is I dont know why they waited for his last contract to void to get a contract done. They would have benefitted from the additional cap room this year rather than having all of those cap charges accelerate. Other than that this is a pretty solid deal.

Grade: B+

Ezra Cleveland, LG, Jaguars

3 years, $24,000,000, $14,250,000 total guarantees ($14,250,000 full)

The three year, $24 million contract puts Cleveland right near the top of that second tier group of guards which is fair value for someone who has been a decent but not great starter for the last four years. I am not sure if Cleveland would have done better or worse than this in free agency as it probably would depend on if the guard needy teams landed a higher level player or not, so I can understand why they didn't get bogged down over $1-$1.5M a year.The $14.25 million guarantee is very strong though not completely crazy like when the Panthers signed Austin Corbett to a contract with nearly $20 million in guarantees. The Jaguars did get pretty hefty per game and workout bonuses in the contract which are always good for the team.

Grade: C+

Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Bills

2 years, $5,250,000, $3,710,000 total guarantees ($2,710,000 full)

This is a pretty standard contract for a veteran backup QB and essentially the same value the Bills placed on Trubisky when they first signed him as a backup a few years ago. I know this has been criticized a bit as a decision since Trubisky carries no upside but he is a player the team is familiar with and the hope is you only need a player like this for a few snaps here and there and to start the last week of the season when you rest starters.

Grade: C+

David Edwards, LG, Bills

2 years, $6,000,000, $2,950,000 total guarantees ($2,950,000 full)

It is hard to get worked up by a deal this small and maybe it is simply a sign of what is to come due to the rise in salary cap charges, but this is a relatively high number for a player who has played very sparingly the last two years. There are really only three contracts that fit somewhat in this salary and year range and each of those players (Will Hernandez, Nate Herbig, and Daniel Brunskill) played much more going into those contracts. I am sure they envision him as a low cost starter but I think this was one where they either should have aimed lower or just done a one year contract with someone during free agency.

Grade: C-