Free agency kicked off with a bang on Monday. With the legal tampering period open, a number of notable deals were made. Only time will tell which decisions were shrewd and which were foolish, but there are a number of moves that deserve some praise right out of the gate. Here are our top free agency moves from the opening day of 2023 free agency.
1. David Long to the Dolphins
Contract: Two years, $11 million ($5.5 million APY)
Someone call the police – this is daylight robbery! I fully appreciate that Long has had some issues with his health, missing ten games over the past two seasons. That said, there is no doubt that he is one of the best off-ball linebackers in the entire NFL when he is on the field. He was legitimately playing at an All-Pro level before he was injured in 2022.
Before his hamstring injury ended his regular season after Week 13, Long ranked eighth amongst linebackers in defensive stops, second in pressures, and tied for the position lead in interceptions. With the linebacker market exploding this offseason, Miami could have landed themselves a great bargain here.
2. Javon Hargrave to the 49ers
Contract: Four years, $84 million ($21 million APY)
Hargrave’s deal with the 49ers is on the other end of the financial spectrum. His $21 million APY makes him the third highest paid interior defensive lineman in the NFL, behind Aaron Donald and Daron Payne. Whilst he may be 30 years old, I think it is fair to say he is worth every penny of this deal. Over the last two seasons, Hargrave has racked up 118 pressures. The only players at the position with more are Aaron Donald, Chris Jones, and Cam Heyward.
Hargrave will slot in along what is already a phenomenally talented defensive line for the 49ers. With opponents also having Nick Bosa to contend with, you can guarantee that one of them will generally be left one-on-one – this way lies disaster! The 49ers have also been very smart with the structuring of the deal. Hargrave has an average cap hit of $11.25 million over the first two seasons, after which the team can move on without any major financial ramifications.
3. Jessie Bates to the Falcons
Contract: Four years, $64 million ($16 million APY)
This a smart move from a Falcons team that desperately needed to invest in their secondary. They spent the 2022 season with Richie Grant and Jaylinn Hawkins as their starting safeties and neither looked particularly good. This all culminated in a defense that ranked 29th in passing DVOA. Bates will obviously be a huge upgrade and Atlanta have done well to land a 26 year old former All-Pro.
Bates should also be a good fit with new Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Nielsen comes from the Saints, who have always relied on having a dependable true free safety at the heart of their defense. Bates gives them exactly that. $16 million APY isn’t cheap, but the Falcons have boatloads of cap space and it makes sense to devote it to fixing a position that has been a liability for their defense.
4. Jawaan Taylor to the Chiefs
Contract: Four years, $80 million ($20 million APY)
When the Chiefs let Orlando Brown walk earlier this offseason, it always felt like they would be making a splash in free agency in search of his replacement. Taylor is that move, and a very good one at that. This is a player who has never missed a game in his first four NFL seasons. He is also still just 25 years old. He isn’t much of a run blocker, but Taylor’s reliability in pass protection is exactly what the Chiefs need.
Last season the Chiefs’ starting tackles allowed a combined 96 pressures, the most in the NFL. Taylor on the other hand had a career year, giving up just 16 pressures all year. That worked out as him allowing a pressure on just 1.6% of his pass blocking snaps. There is a slight question mark about whether Taylor can make the switch from right to left tackle, but if he can they will be very happy with this deal.
5. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to the Browns
Contract: Three years, $19 million ($6.33 million APY)
Compared to some of the other deals on this list this one looks insignificant, but it could be one of the best value moves of the offseason. Okoronkwo might not be a name that is too familiar to your average NFL fan, but he is coming off a very impressive 2022 season. After starting his career with the Rams, he made a one-year switch to the Texans last year. That switch from an odd front to an even front paid dividends and seemed to unlock Okoronkwo’s potential.
After logging 41 pressures in three years with the Rams, he finished the 2022 season with 36 pressures, including five sacks. He was particularly impactful down the stretch, with 29 of those pressures coming from Week 9 onwards. In moving to Cleveland he will get to stay in an even front and work opposite Myles Garrett. This feels like very savvy business.