NFL free agency instant grades: How did your team do?
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons-B
The Falcons had to watch some serious talent leave this week. Losing guys like Hooper and Beasley is bound to sting. Credit Atlanta’s front office for finding creative solutions to replace both guys.
Hayden Hurst isn’t the dynamic downfield weapon that Hooper is, but he’s a solid starter. Dante Fowler could easily turn into a serious upgrade over Beasley. The Falcons haven’t made a ton of moves, but the ones they have represent good business.
Carolina Panthers: D
The Panthers lost as much talent as anyone in the NFL this week. Fans in Carolina should prepare themselves for a relatively painful rebuild.
The best move the franchise made was tying Teddy Bridgewater down to a team-friendly contract to be their new starting quarterback. No other single transaction for the Panthers can be met with much positivity. Overpaying Tre Boston to return at safety is particularly bad. Releasing Eric Reid just three months after giving him a new contract will go down as one of the least-efficient deals of the year.
New Orleans Saints: B+
Keeping Brees in the fold makes this offseason a success for the Saints absent any other moves. Getting him to sign a two-year deal for $50 million really makes it something to celebrate.
Giving Malcolm Jenkins such a big deal on his return to The Big Easy does quite a bit to drag this grade down. He’s a solid player, but that’s a hefty amount of cash for a safety. It’s not enough to ruin the team’s salary cap, but it’s not going to help increase roster flexibility in the future.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A+
The Buccaneers’ front office deserves a ton of credit for staying the course and landing Tom Brady. It’s hard to overstate how much he’ll mean to the franchise on and off the field.
Franchising Shaquil Barrett has drawn criticism from some fans, but it was the right move for Tampa Bay. Double-digit sack artists don’t grow on trees. Retaining Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul allows the Buccaneers to keep their quality pass rush in-tact. It’s all smiles in Tampa Bay at the moment.