Welcome to the Tuesday version of the Decide Six publication!
We are actually in Day 8 of Aaron Rodgers watch and nothing has modified. Apparently, Rodgers has loved being a free agent a lot that he plans on being a free agent eternally.
Rodgers hasn’t given any hints about the place he may find yourself, two groups are positively desirous about signing him (Steelers and Giants) and one different staff may be (Vikings). Aaron, in the event you’re studying, Cam Heyward actually wants to you to just MAKE A DECISION ALREADY.
OK, that is your every day Rodgers replace, and now, we won’t be mentioning him for the remainder of the publication. Really, I simply learn the remainder of the publication and it seems that we’ll be mentioning him as soon as extra, however THAT’S it.
Anyway, we have got some extra free company grades right this moment, plus we’ll be rating each staff within the AFC so we are able to see if any of the groups really bought higher in free company.
As all the time, here is your every day reminder to inform all your pals to join the publication. To get them signed up, all you must do is click here.
1. Free company grades: Commanders earn highest mark of any staff from our soccer professors
In the course of the begin of free company final week, we have been handing out grades primarily based on how groups did throughout every day of free company. At the moment, we’re handing out grades primarily based on how every staff did total in free company.
Our staff of graders included Tyler Sullivan, Jordan Dajani and Garrett Podell and so they have been ruthless: Solely 4 groups within the NFL ended up getting a grade within the “A” vary.
Let’s examine 4 grades that they handed out:
- Commanders: A+. “That is EXACTLY the way you construct round a franchise quarterback who continues to be on his rookie contract. The Commanders, recent off a visit to the NFC Championship, have made a number of splashes within the early levels of this free agent cycle. First, they stored their core intact by bringing again Bobby Wagner and Zach Ertz. In the meantime, they made large trades touchdown Deebo Samuel and Laremy Tunsil.”
- Buccaneers: B. “Remarkably, the Bucs have been capable of retain wideout Chris Godwin, regardless of him attending to the open market. Even with a whole lot of groups vying for his providers, he elects to remain put and keep what is without doubt one of the higher one-two punches at receiver between him and Mike Evans for Baker Mayfield. Tampa Bay additionally added to its pass-rushing group with Haason Reddick on a one-year, $14 million deal.”
- Cowboys: C-. “Dallas has gone bargain-bin diving for low-cost former first-round picks. They’ve taken one-year or two-year fliers on the next former first-round picks: Payton Turner, Solomon Thomas, Kaiir Elam and Kenneth Murray.”
- Rams: B+. “After a wild few weeks, the Rams have been capable of preserve Matthew Stafford in-house, holding their quarterback place secure. Additionally they stored beginning left deal with Alaric Jackson. On prime of that, they gave Stafford a brand new go catcher in Davante Adams, who ought to type a deadly one-two punch with Puka Nacua Los Angeles additionally poached Ponna Ford from the Chargers so as to add to its defensive position.”
We’ve got grades for each staff and you can check those out here.
2. Rating each AFC staff after the primary wave of free company
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Now that the primary wave of free company is out of the way in which, we thought it might be time to rank each staff within the NFL, in order that’s precisely what we will do right this moment. Really, I take that again, we’re solely going to rank the AFC groups right this moment. We’ll get to the NFC groups later within the week.
With that thoughts, here is our post-free company rankings of every AFC staff, courtesy of Jordan Dajani:
1. Chiefs
2. Bills
3. Ravens
4. Broncos
5. Bengals
6. Texans
7. Chargers
8. Steelers
9. Dolphins
10. Raiders
The one factor that immediately stands out to me about these rankings is that the AFC West might be stacked in 2025. Not solely did the division ship three groups to the playoffs final yr, nevertheless it’s the one division with all 4 of its groups ranked in Jordan’s prime 10.
Anyway, we solely listed the highest 10 AFC groups right here. If you wish to see how Jordan ranked all 16 AFC groups, you then’ll need to check out the rest of his rankings here.
3. 10 highest-paid non-quarterbacks within the NFL
With Ja’Marr Chase getting a contract on Sunday that may pay him $40.25 million per yr, meaning he is now the highest-paid non-quarterback within the NFL.
For those who’re questioning who else is on that listing, Jeff Kerr has the reply. Let’s check out the 9 highest-paid non-quarterbacks within the NFL primarily based on common annual wage:
1. Ja’Marr Chase: $40.25 million
2. Myles Garrett: $40 million
3. Maxx Crosby: $35.5 million
4. Justin Jefferson: $35 million
T-5. CeeDee Lamb: $34 million
T-5. Nick Bosa: $34 million
7. A.J. Brown: $32 million
8. Chris Jones: $31.75 million
9. Amon-Ra St. Brown: $30.002 million
For those who’re questioning which positions NFL teams worth essentially the most, this listing would appear to reply that query. There are 9 names and so they all play considered one of two positions: Receiver or go rusher.
The highest spot on this listing modified fingers thrice in an 11-day interval. Crosby was on the top on March 5 after signing an extension from the Raiders. Garrett moved past Crosby on March 9 when he signed his new deal and Chase handed them each with his new contract on March 16.
Though Chase holds the title now, he may not have it for very lengthy. Micah Parsons will likely be getting an extension quickly from the Cowboys and he may prime the Bengals receiver. Additionally, Aidan Hutchinson is now eligible for an extension and it will not be shocking if he additionally will get to or passes Chase’s quantity.
4. Prime remaining free agent at every place
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It has been nearly every week since free company formally began and though a lot of the prime gamers have already been signed, there are nonetheless loads of strong gamers in the marketplace.
So who’s nonetheless on the market? Glad you requested. Jeff Kerr determined to try the highest obtainable participant at every place. Let’s try who’s nonetheless in the marketplace on the offensive aspect of the ball.
QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB: J.K. Dobbins
WR: Stefon Diggs
TE: Tyler Conklin
OT: Joe Noteboom
C: David Andrews
OG: Teven Jenkins
NFL groups are all the time attempting to get youthful, so that you in all probability will not be shocked to be taught that 5 of the seven gamers on this listing are already 30 or will likely be 30 by the point the 2025 season begins. If you wish to try the most effective remaining defensive free brokers, you can do there here. On Friday, we’ll be closing out the week by having a look on the prime 10 free brokers who’re nonetheless obtainable.
5. Why the Falcons stored Kirk Cousins: The choice really made some sense
Falcons basic supervisor Terry Fontenot spent the offseason saying that his staff would NOT be releasing Kirk Cousins, and he wasn’t kidding. Though there was some hypothesis that Cousins may be launched, the Falcons ended up holding on to him even though he had a $10 million roster bonus for 2026 that turned totally assured as of 4 p.m. ET on Saturday (Cousins was going to be entitled to the bonus if he was nonetheless on the roster, and naturally, he is nonetheless on the roster).
So why did the Falcons find yourself holding on to Cousins? It make sense for 2 seasons:
- He might be commerce bait. The Falcons signed Cousins to a contract that included $90 million in assured cash, so if that they had minimize him, he would have gotten the $90 million for one yr and the Falcons would have gotten nothing in return. By holding Cousins, the Falcons have now put themselves in a spot the place they COULD get one thing in return. If a QB will get injured this yr or if a staff finds itself in determined want of a QB, the Falcons could be in a spot the place they might commerce Cousins for respectable draft compensation. The one drawback with this potential plan is that Cousins has a no-trade clause, so he may doubtlessly veto any deal. That being mentioned, if he needs to be a starter someplace and his choices are “get traded or be the Falcons backup” then he may keen to waive his no-trade clause.
- The Falcons possible did not care about Cousins’ $10 million roster bonus. Cousins had a $10 million roster bonus that turned assured on March 15, however that cash is not attributable to him till March 2026. The Falcons may preserve him for yet another season after which let Cousins check free company in 2026. If Cousins did that and signed a deal value greater than $10 million with one other staff, the Falcons would possible owe him nothing attributable to offsets (For those who’re questioning how offsets work, here is an instance: If Cousins signed a $1 million contract with one other staff subsequent offseason, then the Falcons would nonetheless personal him $9 million in order that he will get the complete $10 million. If a staff paid him $8 million for 2026, then the Falcons would owe him $2 million. If one other staff paid him $10 million or extra, then the Falcons would owe him nothing).
Quarterbacks are a useful commodity within the NFL, so it would not have made sense for the Falcons to only let Cousins stroll away. It would actually be awkward if he is nonetheless on the roster come Week 1, so it will not be shocking in any respect if he finally ends up getting traded, however for now, he is nonetheless on Atlanta’s roster sitting proper behind Michael Penix Jr. on the depth chart.
The Browns are apparently ready to pounce on Cousins if he ever gets released, nevertheless it’s unclear in the event that they’d be keen to make a commerce for him.
6. Additional factors: Longtime Eagles defender pronounces retirement
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It has been a busy 24 hours the NFL, and because it’s almost unattainable to maintain monitor of every thing that occurred, I went forward and put collectively a roundup for you.
- Eagles’ Brandon Graham hanging up his cleats: The veteran defensive finish introduced his retirement from the NFL after 15 seasons on Tuesday. Graham gained two Super Bowl championships with the Eagles, becoming a member of Lane Johnson, Rick Lovato and Jake Elliott. You’ll be able to try what Graham had to say and what his future holds here.
- Lane Johnson lands one-year extension. Johnson has been the anchor of the Eagles’ offensive line since 2013 and he’ll be sticking round for a couple of extra years. Johnson agreed to phrases on a one-year extension this week, which implies his contract now runs by way of 2027. The largest upside for the 34-year-old with the brand new deal is that he is getting an additional $30 million in assured cash. You can see the full details of the deal here.
- Eagles add a linebacker from a division rival. The Eagles landed one of many prime obtainable go rushers on Monday by signing Azeez Ojulari to a one-year deal that is value as much as $4 million. Ojulari had six sacks in simply 11 video games for the Giants final season, however he is struggled to remain wholesome. In 2024, he missed six video games attributable to a toe damage. We have more on Ojulari’s signing here.
- Dolphins set to signal for Steelers’ first-round choose. The Dolphins have added some depth at cornerback within the type of Artie Burns. The 29-year-old is headed to Miami after spending his previous three seasons in Seattle, the place he began only one recreation for the Seahawks. Burns has been principally a task participant since coming into the NFL in 2016 when the Steelers made him the twenty fifth total choose within the NFL Draft.
- Steelers usher in some security assist. After two seasons in Cleveland, former Browns security Juan Thornhill is leaping ship and heading to Pittsburgh. The 29-year-old has agreed to phrases on a one-year deal and we have got the full details here.
