Tag: 2022 NFL free agency

Eagles have landed high-profile free agent CB James Bradberry

Eagles crush many Raiders fans hopes by landing Pro Bowl CB James Bradberry

Hard to believe it was just nine days ago that James Bradberry was cut by the Giants. The former Pro Bowl cornerback had long been rumored to be let go in New York and thus long had fans across the NFL hoping their team would land him… None more so than the Raiders.

As of this morning, the push for his services ended with the Eagles landing the highly sought-after free agent according to NFL media’s Ian Rapoport.

The Eagles land Bradberry on a one-year, $10 million deal, giving Bradberry the opportunity to earn a lucrative long-term deal next offseason. While also allowing him to face his former team twice this season.

All that makes sense, but at the time of his release, no team was considered more of an ideal destination than the Las Vegas Raiders, where former Giants defensive coordinator Patrick Graham is now the DC.

Bradberry had the best seasons of his career under Graham the past two years, putting up a combined seven interceptions and 35 pass breakups and heading to the Pro Bowl in 2020.

The Raiders’ current projected starting cornerbacks are Trayvon Mullen, Rock Ya-Sin, and Nate Hobbs.

Bradberry would have figured to be an upgrade over Mullen or Ya-Sin on the outside. However, the team would have had to wait until June 2 to make the deal when they get cap relief from a pair of June 1 cut designations.

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Jarvis Landry to return home by signing with New Orleans Saints

The LSU Saints are beginning to take shape as Landry rejoins Tyrann Mathieu in New Orleans.

It’s going to be an LSU reunion for the New Orleans Saints this season.

The team already signed one former Tiger in [autotag]Tyrann Mathieu[/autotag], a New Orleans native, and it has now added one of his former teammates. On Friday, NFL reporter Jordan Shultz broke the news that the Saints would be adding veteran free agent receiver [autotag]Jarvis Landry[/autotag]. The news was later confirmed by Landry himself with a post on his Twitter account.

Landry went to high school in nearby Lutcher, Louisiana, and played for LSU from 2011-13, earning Second Team All-SEC honors his final season. He was a second-round pick for the Miami Dolphins in 2014, and he earned five-straight Pro Bowl appearances from 2015-19, three with the Dolphins and two with the Cleveland Browns, who he most recently played for.

The details of Landry’s contract haven’t been announced, assuming that they have been finalized.

Landry is coming off an injury-plagued 2021 season in which he appeared in just 12 games and registered career lows in receptions (52), receiving yards (570) and receiving touchdowns (two). He hasn’t crossed the 1,000-yard threshold since 2019, and though he may be a bit past his prime, he has a lot of football ahead of him at just 29 years old, assuming he’s able to stay healthy.

He’ll join a receiving corps in New Orleans that looks fairly strong all of the sudden with a proven player in Michael Thomas, Ohio State rookie Chris Olave and Marquez Callaway, who had something of a breakout sophomore year in 2021.

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Former Raiders LB Nick Kwiatkoski signs on with Falcons

After visiting the Raiders earlier this week, Nick Kwiatkoski gets his reunion but it isn’t with his former team in Las Vegas

Less than two months ago, the Raiders cut Nick Kwiatkoski, saving some $3.24 million against the cap and leaving behind $5 million in dead money. Now the former starter has finally found a new home.

Kwiatkoski had visited the Raiders most recently, in what looked like a potential return. But after testing the Las Vegas reunion waters, the former starter decided a reunion with his former GM in Chicago was his best option. Or perhaps his trip to visit his former team upped the Falcons’ offer.

Meanwhile the Raiders signed free agent Kenny Young instead.

The Raiders cleaned some house at linebacker this offseason, taking on a good deal of dead money in the process.

All three 2020 starters Kwiatkoski, Cory Littleton, and Nicholas Morrow were let go, while they added competition in the form of Young, Jayon Brown, Micah Kiser, and Kyler Fackrell.

Last season starters Denzel Perryman and Divine Deablo return as well.

Raiders sign WR Keelan Cole to one-year deal

Raiders add free agent former Jets, Jaguars WR Keelan Cole on one-year deal

Two of the Raiders three wide receiver spots are settled. The third starting job is not. Today the Raiders added one more veteran competitor for that job, signing former Jets and Jaguars WR Keelan Cole to a one-year deal according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Cole isn’t exactly the speed demon the Raiders could use at receiver, but he’s been productive and started 11 games last season in New York. And finding speedy deep threats isn’t exactly the easiest thing to do in mid-May.

The 6-1, 194-pounder has a decent 14.4 yards per reception with 13 touchdowns over his five NFL seasons.

It’s important also to take his stats into consideration when figuring the lack of quality passers on the Jaguars and Jets during these past five years.

Cole is expected to compete with the the likes of Demarcus Robinson, Tyron Johnson, and Bryan Edwards at outside receiver across from Davante Adams. Cole would also potentially backup Hunter Renfrow in the slot, as he has scored seven of his 13 NFL touchdowns from the inside.

Former Bengals DT Larry Ogunjobi visiting with Jets

Former Bengals DT Larry Ogunjobi is making the rounds in free agency again.

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Former Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi is starting to get some attention in free agency again.

Ogunjobi, who agreed to a massive contract with the Chicago Bears in free agency before the deal fell apart, just had a two-day visit with the New York Jets, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

That big-money deal with the Bears fell apart due to medical issues stemming from a foot injury Ogunjobi suffered late last year.

While a reunion with the Bengals sounds unlikely, Ogunjobi was a key cog in the Super Bowl defense while having a career year and rotating with B.J. Hill as an interior pass-rusher. The team chose to extend Hill in free agency around the same time Ogunjobi was agreeing with the Bears.

Cincinnati since hit the interior pass-rushing need again in the third round of the draft with Zach Carter out of Florida.

Should Ogunjobi sign with the Jets, he’ll follow other former notable Bengals such as Carl Lawson and C.J. Uzonmah.

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5 Remaining free agents that just make sense for the Lions

The free agent market isn’t strong but there are still some players out there who might help Detroit

As the 2022 NFL draft has passed us by, and the early stages of free agency are in the rearview mirror, remaining free agents will be awaiting calls from a slew of teams, now that they don’t account into the 2023 compensatory pick formula, post-draft.

The Detroit Lions had a sneaky excellent offseason that should make them a much-improved team in 2022. Take a look at the additions the Detroit Lions made through the NFL Draft and Free Agency (excluding UDFAs)

2022 Additions: DJ Chark, Aidan Hutchinson, Jameson Williams, DeShon Elliot, Mike Huges, Garrett Griffin, Chris Board, Joshua Paschal, Kerby Joseph, James Mitchell, Malcolm Rodriguez, James Houston, and Chase Lucas

But with all of this behind us, there are still some talented veteran free agents on the market. Here’s a look at some of the better fits for this roster, and why they just make too much sense. Detroit still struggles to attract big-name free agents, but in 2022, with this improved roster, we may finally see people wanting to become a part of One Pride.

Should Bengals have interest in free-agent CB James Bradberry?

Should the Bengals pursue the free agent?

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The Cincinnati Bengals don’t figure to be done in free agency now that the 2022 NFL draft is in the books.

And while they most likely project to be active at wide receiver and tight end, an interesting name just popped up, too — cornerback James Bradberry.

The Giants cut Bradberry on Monday, with PFN’s Aaron Wilson reporting a trade worth a possible late-round pick never happened because of the money Bradberry would cost on a long-term deal.

Bradberry’s release cleared $10.2 million in cap space for the Giants, and he’ll likely want something similar in free agency. Turning 29 this summer, Bradberry allowed 60 catches on 92 targets with four interceptions while earning a 62.8 PFF grade last season.

On one hand, outside corners like Bradberry don’t normally become available at this stage of the offseason. There’s a reason Wilson mentioned a contender like the Chiefs as a possible suitor.

On the other, the Bengals going after Bradberry might not make a ton of sense at this stage. Not only will he likely command notable money on the open market, the team just used a second-rounder on boundary prospect Cam Taylor-Britt, who they’ll probably want to rotate in with Eli Apple right away. Coaches have also said they think first-rounder Dax Hill can play on the boundary if necessary, too.

Were Bradberry a cheap addition it would be a smooth move to bring him to town. But with CTB ready to make an impact already, the Bengals might be better to spend the cash on other spots, if not hold it for potential long-term extensions.

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Giants cut CB James Bradberry who made Pro Bowl under Raiders DC Patrick Graham

CB James Bradberry had his best seasons for Raiders new DC Patrick Graham. Bradberry has now been released.

New head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler have been busy this offseason adding familiar faces. It helps when taking a new job to have people with whom you are familiar. A pretty big name familiar face just hit the market.

The Giants cut former Pro Bowl CB James Bradberry, who spent the past two seasons under new Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham in New York.

Bradberry is just 28 years old. He has 15 career interceptions and has had double-digit pass breakups every one of his six NFL seasons, including 18 and 17 the past two seasons with Graham as his DC.

Obviously, this figures to make him a great fit with the Raiders, where he would be an instant starter and upgrade their defense significantly.

Currently, the Raiders’ outside starters figure to be Trayvon Mullen and Rock Ya-Sin. Neither of whom have had careers that make them sure starters. While Bradberry has started nearly every game since he entered the league with the Panthers in 2016.

Whether the Raiders can afford him right now is the question. Right now, they have around $5 million in cap space. They will free up a lot of money in a few weeks with June 1 designations placed on Cory Littleton and Carl Nassib.

Bradberry figures to have many suitors, one of whom was said to be the Chiefs when the Giants were trying to trade him. This means, should the Raiders NOT sign Bradberry, they could then be looking at facing him twice next year.

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11 best remaining free agents the Bengals should target after NFL draft

The best free agents the Bengals should still target.

The Cincinnati Bengals used free agency before the 2022 NFL draft to upgrade the offensive line a trio of times and to bring back some key names.

Exiting the draft, there are plenty of ways the team could look on the open market, especially given some of the talent still out there.

The team’s draft class impacts this strategy, of course. Two defensive backs over the first two rounds lessens the need for say, a boundary corner. Potential immediate issues like another starting guard and an interior pass-rusher might make more sense before camps start over the summer.

Regardless, here’s a look at a handful of players the Bengals should have an eye on in the coming weeks.

Chiefs lose out on compensatory pick due to Tyrann Mathieu waiting to sign with Saints

Tyrann Mathieu stuck it to the Chiefs by waiting to sign with Saints

Football is a chess match. Often times that goes well beyond the field of play. One area teams can try and gain a competitive advantage is via the compensatory pick formula.

For instance, the New England Patriots have been playing the system for a while, ensuring they signed few players who counted in the formula than they lost. Thus with the Raiders employing a staff and front office made up of a lot of former Patriots, they are now projected to receive three comp picks in next years’ draft.

Part of the rules surrounding which free agents qualify for compensatory picks involves timing. There is a window in which players can count against the formula. That window closed Monday at 1pm Pacific (4pm ET). Immediately after that deadline had passed, the Saints made it official with safety Tyrann Mathieu. Thus he didn’t count as a loss or a gain in the comp pick formula.

Had Mathieu been signed at any point between the start of free agency on March 16 and the deadline on Monday, May 2, he would have garnered the Chiefs a 4th round compensatory pick in the 2023 draft according to Over the Cap figures, while counting against the total for the team that signed him.

The Chiefs are already projected to have two comp picks coming their way in the 2023 draft — a round three pick from from the Bears hiring their former executive Ryan Poles as GM and a round seven pick from the loss of DT Jarran Reid to the Packers.

The Saints will own Mr Irrelevant with one seventh round comp pick via net value.

You can see the Raiders’ projected comp picks here.