The NFL offseason is well underway, and with it comes the free agency period, when players whose contracts have expired seek new deals.
The NFL had already seen dramatic moves unfold before free agency began, with Carson Wentz headed to Indianapolis, and Matt Stafford and Jared Goff trading places and cities.
Of course, those big stars remaining do not spend long on the market, as teams outbid each other in an effort to outcompete during the season. Some of those, such as San Francisco 49ers lineman Trent Williams, sign record-breaking extensions with their sides. Others seek a fresh start elsewhere.
As the dust settles on free agency, and the big names vanish from the market, TIBS News takes a look at the biggest names in the NFL that took the shortest time to find a new home through 2021.
LB Bud Dupree – Tennessee Titans
Five years, $82,500,000 (£59.5m)
Dupree has been an essential part of the Pittsburgh Steelers elite pass rush since he was drafted in 2015, recording 39.5 sacks over six seasons with them. He set a career-high for sacks in 2019 with 11.5 and likely would have exceeded that many this past season if not for suffering an ACL tear in week 12, forcing him to miss the final weeks.
The recent injury suffered by Dupree clearly proved to be of no concern for Tennessee as he became one of the first stars off the market. He also secured the second biggest deal of any player, behind only Trent Williams’ six-year extension worth $138million (£99.6m).
Being coached by Mike Vrabel, a former linebacker and field general himself, Dupree will be in good hands as he furthers his career in Nashville. However, the question remains whether Dupree will stack up numbers like he did in Pittsburgh, without being assisted in the pass rush by the likes of TJ Watt and Cameron Heyward.
OL Joe Thuney – Kansas City Chiefs
Five years, $80m (£57.7m)
After the Chiefs offensive line got progressively worse in 2020, hitting rock bottom in the Super Bowl as they allowed a record 29 pressures on Patrick Mahomes, Kansas took drastic measures in correcting their major flaw. In the lead up to free agency, the Chiefs cut three-star offensive linemen – Eric Fisher, Austin Reiter and Mitchell Schwartz.
But while it will no doubt prove a difficult task to find replacements for the three elite linemen, Kansas City quickly took a step in the right direction, acquiring former New England Patriot Joe Thuney. As a versatile player, who while listed as a guard can hold his own at both centre and tackle, Thuney gives the Chiefs options, and opens up the market for them in regards to which position on the line they address next.
While the huge price tag will no doubt cause talks over the Chiefs use of cap space to arise again, it cannot be said that the $16m (£11.6m) yearly is undeserved. The NC State alum has started every game since being drafted to the league in 2016, and was ranked the 10th best guard in the league by PFF in 2020.
WR Kenny Golladay – New York Giants
Four years, $72m (£51.9m)
Despite the abundance of receivers on the market being higher than the demand this offseason, it did not stop 2019 pro-bowler Kenny Golladay securing one of the sweetest deals in the big apple.
While the deal has been berated by analysts accusing New York of ‘overpaying’ for the former Detroit Lions star, it is easily justifiable. The Giants were desperately in need of help on offence as quarterback Daniel Jones enters a third season with the team. After adding tight end Kyle Rudolph and receiver John Ross, they made the decision to go all in on Golladay.
Aged 28, and already with four seasons experience in the league, Golladay recorded consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2018-19 and led the league in touchdown catches in the latter. The past season was a down year for Golladay however, who appeared in only five games due to a hip injury, making this deal somewhat risky.
LB Matt Judon – New England Patriots
Four years, $54.5m (£39.32m)
The Patriots made a number of huge moves in the opening days of free agency as they attempt to rebuild their squad back into a play-off team, including defensive back Jalen Mills, and wide receiver Nelson Agholor. But Matt Judon was no doubt the biggest signing of the bunch.
After being drafted by the Ravens in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL draft, Judon played five seasons for Baltimore – the last of which was played under the franchise tag. In the 2020 season, he recorded six sacks through 14 games as the Ravens clinched the fifth seed in the AFC with an 11-5 record.
In New England, where there is a long history of dominant forces at linebacker from Mike Vrabel to Tedy Bruschi, Judon will be a keystone for the Patriots defence.
DE Yannick Ngakoue – Las Vegas Raiders
Two years, $26m (£18.8m)
The signing of Ngakoue by the Las Vegas Raiders is potentially the biggest game changer through week one. The Raiders have had one of the worst pass rush defences in the league for the past few years. They ranked 27th in 2020, and since 2018 rank dead last, in sacks and 31st in points conceded, yards per play and passer rating against.
Therefore, the signing Ngakoue, among other defensive line moves, is significant. The Raiders had pursued the lineman since he was in Jacksonville, where he was drafted under current Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley. After brief stops with the Vikings and Ravens, Ngakoue finds himself reunited with Bradley through to 2023.
But is Ngakoue the player to fix these defensive issues for Vegas? His resume, including having a minimum of eight sacks each year and being second to only Aaron Donald for the most quarterback pressures since 2016, certainly suggest he can be the difference.
