Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
With plenty of soon-to-be-available players to choose from, here is one potential free agent signing for the Lions at each defensive position
The Detroit Lions’ defense has glaring needs at just about every position heading into the 2023 season.
With many starters and key depth players set to become free agents, Detroit will need to focus heavily on the defense during free agency and the draft.
With plenty of soon-to-be-available players to choose from, here is one potential free agent signing for the Lions at each defensive position
One potential free agent for every position on the Lions offense
Allen and Murphy are in line to get big deals with not particularly strong free agent classes at defensive line and cornerback.
The Arizona Cardinals’ top two soon-to-be free agents are defensive lineman Zach Allen and cornerback Byron Murphy. While the team would like to re-sign both, both might end up out of their price range.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, both are in a good position to get big contracts.
Graziano writes, “watch out for guys such as Denver’s Dre’Mont Jones, Jacksonville’s Arden Key and Arizona’s Zach Allen, who have been mentioned several times to me as players expected to draw strong interest on the open market.”
The top of the market includes Javon Hargrave, who is expected to get the biggest contract and probably not from his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fowler mentions Murphy as a potential sleeper in free agency.
He writes, “Because of a lack of depth in the draft or the free agency class, corners such as Jamel Dean, Byron Murphy Jr. and James Bradberry are well positioned.”
An average approaching $16 million per year for Murphy is quite possible.
Both Allen and Murphy were drafted by the Cardinals’ previous leadership and coaching staff.
Allen and Murphy may begin to negotiate with other teams beginning Monday.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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The Panthers’ defensive front is going to look a bit different under Ejiro Evero in 2023. Here are four free-agent linemen who can help ease in the transition.
Regardless of what’ll be a new-look defense, at least schematically, the Carolina Panthers have needed some help along its trench. So, are there any viable options out there on the open market?
Here are four free-agent defensive linemen they should give a look to.
With NFL free agency just around the corner, it’s time to look at the hidden gems of this class — the underrated players who will outperform their new contracts.
While big-name, big-dollar free-agency signings rule the headlines at the start of every league year, smart franchises understand that it’s the lesser-known contracts that frequently make the biggest difference when everybody hits the field months from now.
In 2022, the Seattle Seahawks let quarterback Geno Smith test the open market before re-signing him to a one-year, $3.5 million deal that worked out pretty well for everybody involved. Smith became the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, Seattle’s post-Russell Wilson franchise quarterback, and he got a major new deal when all was said and done.
The Eagles would not have made it to Super Bowl LVII without two relatively unheralded signings — cornerback James Bradberry to a one-year, $7.25 million deal, and pass-rusher Haason Reddick to a three-year, $45 million pact. Both players were defensive cornerstones throughout Philly’s remarkable season.
As we turn to the 2023 free agency cycle that begins Monday with the legal tampering period, and becomes official when players can actually sign contracts on Wednesday at 4:01 p.m. EST, it’s time to look at those players who might not be the biggest names, but could make profound impacts on their new teams (or their previous teams in some instances) based on past performance.
Here’s our list of the hidden gems of the 2023 free agency class.
We take a look at Spotrac’s estimated market value for the Arizona Cardinals’ top free agents.
NFL free agency begins next week and the bidding will begin. Teams will offer contracts and players no longer under contract will seek the best fit for them and best money.
The Arizona Cardinals have a number of soon-to-be free agents.
How much money could they get in the open market?
Spotrac has estimated market values for several of them.
Check them out below.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Here’s who might make so much money after Payne’s tag.
With the NFL’s franchise tag deadline roughly a week away, Tuesday saw the first domino fall.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Washington Commanders applied the franchise tag to 25-year-old DT Daron Payne. Based on the average top-five salary of interior DL players, Payne will now make roughly $18.9 million in 2023. After a season where the bright young player recorded 11.5 sacks, 20 QB hits, and 18 tackles-for-loss, Payne will spend at least another year in Washington.
Aside from continuing to wreak havoc with Jonathan Allen up front, Payne’s absence from the 2023 NFL free agent market leaves behind a massive gap. He was arguably the best DT available, but prospective teams now must look elsewhere.
This is, of course, great news for players who will likely hit the open market, as they’ll probably sign lucrative contracts. Let’s look at a few remaining names, including a cornerstone for the defending NFC champions.
Zach Allen, Byron Murphy, Kelvin Beachum and Will Hernandez are all among the top available free agents this offseason.
Free agency is a couple of weeks away and the Arizona Cardinals have a number of decisions to make. They have a bunch of soon-to-be free agents at important positions.
Pro Football Focus ranked the top 100 players scheduled to be free agents.
The Cardinals have four players listed.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Watt and Allen have been fantastic but are listed as defensive ends, making it that much harder to make the Pro Bowl.
The Arizona Cardinals had only one player selected to the 2023 Pro Bowl. That was safety Budda Baker, which comes as no surprise.
Baker was selected for the fifth time in his career and for the fourth consecutive year.
Two players perhaps deserved to make the Pro Bowl — defensive ends Zach Allen and J.J. Watt.
Allen is having a career year with 47 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss and eight pass breakups.
All are great numbers among interior defenders.
Watt, who added three sacks on Sunday, has 9.5 sacks, 27 tackles, 12 tackles for loss 19 quarterback hits, six pass breakups and a forced fumble.
These are also fantastic numbers for a defensive lineman.
However, both are listed as defensive ends.
The NFC Pro Bowlers at defensive end are Nick Bosa of the 49ers, who has the NFL lead with 15.5 sacks, the Panthers’ Brian Burns with his 10.5 sacks and the Cowboys’ Demarcus Lawrence, who has six sacks.
Lawrence’s selection is the one perhaps questionable one in the NFC.
The problem is Watt had three of his sacks after final numbers already were tabulated. Listed as defensive ends, Allen and Watt would need even bigger numbers. Both play the interior defensive line mostly and their stats and impact are undeniable.
But full-time edge defensive ends will almost always get the nod for honors like the Pro Bowl over guys who move back and forth, especially when Watt is considered past his prime and Allen has not yet established himself.
They are snubs, for sure. But they are understandable snubs.
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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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Allen injured his hand in the Cardinals’ 27-13 loss to the Patriots.
The Arizona Cardinals placed quarterback Kyler Murray and receiver Rondale Moore on injured reserve, meaning that they will not play again during the regular season.
Defensive linebacker Zach Allen’s season might be done.
He sustained a hand injury Monday night in the team’s 27-13 loss to the New England Patriots. Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters Wednesday that Allen had surgery that day.
He was unsure if he would be out the rest of the season or not.
Before the injury, Allen had a career-high 5.5 sacks to go along with 47 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits and 8 pass breakups.
He will be a free agent after the season.
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Zach Allen will miss at least one game with a hand injury.
The Arizona Cardinals have lost starting quarterback Kyler Murray for the remainder of the season. He wasn’t the only starter to go down in the game.
Defensive lineman Zach Allen left the game with a hand injury.
He might not be done for the season, but he is expected to miss the Cardinals’ next game.
“Doesn’t look like he will be able to go this week,” coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters Tuesday, noting that he didn’t know to what extent the hand was injured.
Allen was seen on the sideline with street clothes on and a cast on the hand.
One would presume that it is a break or a fracture of some sort.
Allen has been one of the most productive interior defensive linemen this season.
His presence will be missed this week when the Cardinals travel to take on the Denver Broncos in Week 15.
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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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