NFL free agency - Day 1: Instant analysis and grades for all major moves
NFL free agency: Instant analysis and grades for all the big moves The NFL offseason is speeding up. Follow live analysis and grades on all major transactions over the course of the league's free agent trading period, which opened Monday. Day 2 ✍️ Eagles sign Riq Woolen 1 year, $15 million offer Howie Roseman can't keep getting away with this. I may have been overstating Woolen's value, but come on. No borderline cornerback allowed less than 0.5 yards per play in man coverage last season, and he led all players at the position with a 31.3% completion rate allowed on such opportunities, according to Next Gen Stats. Woolen was a key piece of Seattle's Super Bowl-winning defense, and he offers a truly rare combination of size and speed at just 26 years old. Since when do players like this not take advantage of the open market? A one-year prove-it deal seems like a ridiculous steal for the Eagles. It probably won't be long before the rest of the league realizes the mistake, as Woolen steps in alongside Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean and gives Philadelphia the best cornerback spacing in the game. Add another edge rusher to the mix, and Vic Fangio could have this defense on par with the Seahawks and Texans. Grade: A+ 💰 The Browns reshape the offensive line I really wasn't sure if the Browns could pull it off. Cleveland appeared to enter the offseason facing a nightmare scenario on the offensive line. All five starters from last year's group were headed to free agency, and there wasn't exactly much cap space available to replace them. Well, two days have passed and the Browns already have four of the five spots filled. Last week's trade for Tytus Howard secured a capable right tackle, Monday's signing of Zion Johnson brought in a rising left guard, and Tuesday's return of Teven Jenkins fills the vacancy at right guard. And then came my favorite move of the group: bringing Elgton Jenkins to center. I assume the two-time Pro Bowler's departure from the Packers was strictly a financial decision, because he can still play at a high level. This is a pretty exciting journey for the Browns, as they are suddenly not far away from having the infrastructure necessary to support a young quarterback. Get a left tackle and a receiver with those two first-round picks, and Todd Monken could soon get this offense back in the right direction. Grade: A ✍️ Patriots sign Romeo Doubs 4-year, $70 million deal Drake Maye could have a new target. Doubs isn't the flashiest addition to the receiver room, but in this case it's important to look beyond raw statistical production. Although the former fourth-rounder peaked at 724 yards in his first four seasons, that was largely a result of Green Bay effectively spreading the ball around. There are some WR2 advantages here; Doubs is a good route runner who is strong at the catch point. Considering his ability to make plays whether on the edge or over the middle, a contract that is in line with previous deals for receivers Wan'Dale Robinson and Rashid Shaheed feels like a win for the Patriots. Will the big moves at the position be duplicated with a trade for A.J. Brown? Grade: A- 🔁 Jets trade for Geno Smith Trade Terms: Las Vegas sends QB, 7th-round pick (No. 228) to New York for 6th-round pick (No. 208) How about this for a meeting? It's fascinating to watch Smith find his way back to New York a decade after being run out of town and written off as a draft bust. The Jets were looking for a veteran bridge quarterback, and Smith is a more attractive option than last year's circus in Las Vegas might suggest. It's not far-fetched to imagine that a better situation on the offensive line could help him return to the player he was during three years as a starter.